Ron Turcotte, the legendary Canadian jockey who piloted Secretariat to a record-breaking Triple Crown victory in 1973, died of natural causes at his home in Drummond, New Brunswick, on August 22, 2025. He was 84. Turcotte’s passing marks the end of an era—not just for horse racing, but for all who came to know him as a champion in and out of the saddle.
Turcotte’s name is forever etched in racing lore for his partnership with Secretariat, the chestnut colt many still consider the greatest thoroughbred of all time. Their electrifying sweep of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes ended a 25-year Triple Crown drought, a feat not achieved since Citation’s run in 1948. But Turcotte’s story is about more than just one horse or one season. His remarkable life, filled with triumph, tragedy, and resilience, left an indelible mark on the sport and those who knew him.
Born in New Brunswick, Turcotte’s journey began far from the bright lights of Churchill Downs. He started as a lumberjack before launching his racing career in 1961. By 1962, he had claimed his first win, and over nearly two decades, he amassed a staggering 3,032 victories and lifetime earnings topping $28.6 million. Yet, it was the 1973 Triple Crown campaign that would define him in the public imagination. Secretariat’s performance, especially in the Belmont Stakes, remains the stuff of legend—a 31-length victory in a record 2:24, still the fastest time ever recorded for the race. A photograph of Turcotte glancing back as Secretariat thundered down the stretch has become one of the sport’s most iconic images.
Reflecting on that historic day, Turcotte told The Los Angeles Times in 2023, “I couldn’t hear the announcer all the time, saying how far I was in front. I knew I was quite a ways in front because I couldn’t hear any other horses hitting the ground behind me. When I got the quarter pole I looked and I could barely see them and I looked at the clock and saw 1:59 on the board, which was faster than we ran the Derby.” His humility and awe for Secretariat never faded. “It’s like God decided to create the perfect horse,” Turcotte once said. “He was so fast, I thought he was going to sprout wings like Pegasus.”
Turcotte’s bond with Secretariat extended beyond the racetrack. He fondly recalled their morning rituals, where he would hold out his hand and Secretariat would shake it with his tongue. Even after Turcotte’s career was cut short by a tragic accident in 1978, the connection endured. Visiting Secretariat in Kentucky after the accident, Turcotte wheeled his chair up to the fence and whistled. Secretariat, recognizing his old friend, raced over and nuzzled Turcotte’s pocket—still searching for the mints his jockey always carried.
Sadly, Turcotte’s racing career ended abruptly at age 36 when a fall at Belmont Park left him paralyzed from the waist down. The accident did not diminish his spirit. Instead, it propelled him into a new chapter as a tireless advocate for the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (PDJF). William Punk Jr., chairman of the PDJF, remembered Turcotte as “one of the nonprofit organization’s greatest champions and ambassadors. Although he is appropriately recognized as a member of the Racing Hall of Fame for his accomplishments in the saddle, his contributions to the PDJF established him as a giant in the hearts of all associated with this organization. His memory and his impact will live on forever.”
Turcotte’s legacy was not confined to his riding prowess. He was inducted into six different sporting Halls of Fame, including the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 1979 and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1980. He was known for his humility, kindness, and wit—a gracious figure who treated everyone, from journalists to fans, with warmth and respect. His home in Drummond was filled with racing memorabilia, a testament to a life lived at the pinnacle of sport but grounded in family and community.
Pat Day, another Hall of Fame jockey and close friend, spoke movingly about Turcotte’s influence. “Ron just took me under his wing immediately, started showing me the ropes, introduced me to people, and was like a big brother to me,” Day told FOX 56. Of Turcotte’s faith and resilience, Day added, “What Ronnie experienced in death just a few days ago is one that we’re all going to face one day. He believed in, loved and trusted in the Lord. And I’m, assured and know that we’ll see each other again one day. It’s not goodbye. It’s just, until we meet again.”
Turcotte’s family, including his wife Gaëtane of nearly 60 years and their four daughters—Lynn, Ann, Tina, and Tammy—remember him as much more than a racing legend. “The world may remember Ron as the famous jockey of Secretariat, but to us he was a wonderful husband, a loving father, grandfather and a great horseman,” the family said in a statement shared by Secretariat.com. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the PDJF, honoring Turcotte’s lifelong commitment to helping others.
The tributes have poured in from across the racing world. At Saratoga Race Course, jockeys paused to pay their respects. The Kentucky Derby posted a message on social media: “His legacy lives on beneath the Twin Spires and in the hearts of racing fans everywhere.” David O’Rourke, president of the New York Racing Association, summed up Turcotte’s enduring appeal: “While his courage as a jockey was on full display to a nation of adoring fans during that electrifying time, it was after he faced a life-altering injury that we learned about the true character of Ron Turcotte. By devoting himself to supporting fellow jockeys struggling through similar injuries, Ron Turcotte built a legacy defined by kindness and compassion.”
Turcotte was the last surviving member of Secretariat’s legendary team. The horse died in 1989; trainer Lucien Laurin, groom Eddie Sweat, owner Penny Chenery, and exercise rider Charlie Davis have all since passed. Yet, the memories and the impact of their accomplishments remain vivid for racing fans and anyone who loves a good underdog story. Turcotte’s journey—from humble beginnings in New Brunswick to the heights of international fame, and then to tireless advocacy—serves as a reminder that greatness is measured not just in victories, but in character and generosity.
As the racing world mourns Ron Turcotte, his story continues to inspire. His records remain unbroken, his kindness remembered, and his advocacy for disabled jockeys a lasting gift. The legend of Secretariat and Turcotte’s role in it will forever gallop through the annals of sports history, a testament to courage, partnership, and heart.
