15 Facts About Ron Turcotte

Ron Turcotte gained prominence with his victory aboard Tom Rolfe in the 1965 Preakness Stakes.

Ron Turcotte became internationally famous in 1973 when he rode Secretariat to win the first Triple Crown in 25 years, with records for each race, and the phenomenal finish of Secretariat 31 lengths ahead of the field in the Belmont.

Ron Turcotte was North America's leading stakes-winning jockey in 1972 and 1973.

Ron Turcotte became the first jockey to win back-to-back Kentucky Derbies since Jimmy Winkfield in 1902 and was the first jockey to ever have won five of six consecutive Triple Crown races.

Ron Turcotte was voted the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award that honors a rider whose career and personal conduct exemplifies the very best example of participants in the sport of thoroughbred racing.

Ron Turcotte is the first person from Thoroughbred racing ever to be appointed a member of the Order of Canada.

Ron Turcotte fell from his horse, Flag of Leyte Gulf, during the 8th race at Belmont Park.

Ron Turcotte suffered injuries that resulted in his being a paraplegic.

Ron Turcotte was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1979.

Ron Turcotte was voted into the New Brunswick Sports Hall of Fame and in 1980 was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame.

In 2015, a statue of Secretariat and Ron Turcotte crossing the finish line at the Belmont Stakes was unveiled in Ron Turcotte's hometown of Grand Falls, New Brunswick.

Ron Turcotte left school at age 14 to work with his father as a lumberjack, then at age 18, headed to Toronto looking for construction work.

Ron Turcotte is an advocate for those with disabilities and helps to raise funds for disability programs.

Ron Turcotte was hospitalized on March 9,2015, following a single-vehicle accident in New Brunswick.

Ron Turcotte sustained fractures to both legs, while his friend suffered minor injuries.