From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Randy Romero
Randy Romero
Randy Romero Go For Wand, Polish Navy, Personal Ensign
Sacahuista, Yankee Affair
Occupation Jockey
Born December 22, 1957 Randy Paul Romero (born December 22, 1957 in Erath,
Erath, Louisiana, United States Louisiana) is a Hall of Fame jockey in the sport of Thor-
Career wins 4,285
oughbred horse racing, Born into a family involved with
horses, his father Lloyd J. Romero was a Louisiana state
Major racing wins, honours and awards trooper who trained American Quarter Horses and later,
Major racing wins after a drunk driver crashed into his police car and per-
manently disabled him, he began training Thorough-
Clark Handicap (1982) breds for flat racing. The 1978 movie Casey’s Shadow is
Essex Handicap (1982)
Isaac Murphy Handicap (1982)
based on Lloyd Romero and his family. He was elected in-
Ladies Handicap (1984, 1986) to the Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame May 27, 2010 [1]
Arlington Classic (1986) In 1975 Randy Romero began his professional riding
Champagne Stakes (1986) career at Evangeline Downs in Lafayette, Louisiana. Nick-
Coaching Club American Oaks (1986) named the "Ragin’ Cajun", in 1983 at Oaklawn Park race-
Cowdin Stakes (1986)
Frizette Stakes (1986) track in Arkansas Romero suffered a near career-ending
Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (1986) injury when he received major burns to two-thirds of
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1986) his body from a freak fire that erupted while taking a
Carter Handicap (1987) sauna.He had rubbed himself down with alcohol and
Garden City Handicap (1987) moved into the sauna in the jockey’s room. As he did he
Hopeful Stakes (1987)
Jamaica Handicap (1987) accidentally broke a live light bulb that immediately ig-
Queens County Handicap (1987) nited his entire body. After seven months of rehabilita-
Spinster Stakes (1987) tion he returned to compete at the Fair Grounds Race
Woodward Stakes (1987) Course in New Orleans where he won his third of four rid-
Beldame Stakes (1988, 1990)
ing titles and set a track record with 181 wins.
Bernard Baruch Handicap (1988)
Fall Highweight Handicap (1988, 1989) Randy Romero’s success led to owner Ogden Phipps
Florida Derby (1988) and trainer Shug McGaughey choosing him to be the reg-
Gazelle Handicap (1988) ular rider for Personal Ensign. Romero rode the future
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (1988) Hall of Fame filly to an undefeated career, capped off
Vosburgh Stakes (1988, 1989)
with a victory in the 1988 Breeders’ Cup Distaff, an event
Whitney Handicap (1988)
Blue Grass Stakes (1989 & 1995) he had won the previous year aboard Sacahuista for
Commonwealth Stakes (1989) trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The following year he won his
Alabama Stakes (1990) third straight Breeders’ Cup race, taking the Juvenile Fil-
Arlington Oaks (1990) lies event with Go for Wand. He was aboard Go for Wand
Mother Goose Stakes (1990)
and in the lead when she broke down in the 1990 Breed-
Secretariat Stakes (1990)
Test Stakes (1990) ers’ Cup Distaff race. Romero broke his pelvis and several
Brooklyn Handicap (1992) ribs, and the filly had to be euthanized.
Adirondack Stakes (1993) While Randy Romero met with great success as a
Arlington Handicap (1995) jockey, the downside of his career was a number of
Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (1996)
racing-related injuries requiring more than twenty surg-
Breeders’ Cup wins:
Breeders’ Cup Distaff (1987, 1988) eries. He retired in July 1999 having ridden 4,285 winners,
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (1989) notably winning a number of important Grade I events.
Honours
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame (2005)
Health problems
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (2010) In 2002, Randy Romero’s health problems were added to
Significant horses when he learned that the disordered eating required to
maintain riding weight during his years as a jockey had
severely damaged his kidneys. He said he began vomiting
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Randy Romero
his food at an early age in the practice known as "flip-
ping" in the world of jockeys.[citation needed]
References
In addition, his liver was damaged by a tainted blood • Cincinnati Enquirer, "Horse racing’s dirty little
transfusion received during one of his many operations. secret"
Along with fellow jockey Shane Sellers, he was featured • Boston University, WBUR Public Radio story on
in the 2004 HBO documentary film titled Jockey. [2] Randy Romero
Directed by Kate Davis, the films tells the story of their • NTRA Bio Randy Romero
health problems resulting from racing injuries and the [1] ESPN - May 29, 2010
long term effects of bulimia to maintain racing weight. Persondata
For a number of years, Romero has suffered from he-
Name Romero, Randy
patitis C and on February 18, 2008 he had a kidney re-
moved at a Louisville, Kentucky hospital. His remaining Alternative names
kidney does not work very well and he has to receive Short description
dialysis treatments several times each week. [3] Date of birth December 22, 1957
Randy Romero was voted into the National Museum
Place of birth Erath, Louisiana, United States
of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2010.[1]
Date of death
Place of death
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Randy_Romero&oldid=450964157"
Categories:
• 1957 births
• Living people
• People from Erath, Louisiana
• Cajun jockeys
• United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees
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