Anthony DeSpirito
Encyclopedia
Anthony "Tony" DeSpirito (December 24, 1936 - May 26, 1975) was a champion American Thoroughbred
horse racing
jockey
who found instant fame when he won the national riding title in 1952 as an apprentice in his first full year of racing.
Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts
, Tony DeSpirito was the son of a millworker. He left school at an early age to work as an exercise rider at Rockingham Park
in Salem, New Hampshire
. There are conflicting newspaper reports of his birth year but the United States Social Security Death Index
records him as being born in 1935. DeSpirito rode his first race as an apprentice jockey in 1951 at Narragansett Race Track
in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
.
in Oldsmar, Florida
. He then began winning at a tremendous pace and would have several racedays with multiple victories. During the week of June 6–13, three times Despirito rode four winners on a single racecard at Suffolk Downs
. At Rockingham Park
he rode six winners on August 21, 1952, and won six races again at Rockingham on October 10, 1953. On November 29, 1952, he rode five winners on a single card at Lincoln Downs Race Track in Rhode Island
. By December, he was in a position to challenge the world record
for wins in a year. That month he rode in Florida
; when the tracks there closed on Sunday, he flew to Cuba
and won three races on December 28 at Oriental Park Racetrack
. On December 30, 1952 he rode his 389th winner at Tropical Park Race Track
in Coral Gables, Florida
, breaking the record for most wins in a single year set by Walter Miller in 1906. DeSpirito ended the year with 390 wins from 1,474 mounts, a 26% win rate.
In 1953, DeSpirito continued his winning ways but was involved in the first of four serious accidents that would profoundly affect his career and see the media dub him the "hard luck jockey". Despite time lost as a result of his 1953 accident, he still finished the year with 311 wins but was well behind Bill Shoemaker who smashed Despirito's record with 485 wins. On November 1, 1953, Tony DeSpirito married Doris De Christoforo in a church ceremony in Revere, Massachusetts
.
DeSpirito won the 1954 Kentucky Oaks
aboard the Maine Chance Farm
filly, Fascinator. In his only Kentucky Derby
appearance, he finished 13th in the 1954 edition aboard the Maine Chance colt Black Metal. During 1954, DeSpirito battled with riding greats Avelino Gomez
and Bill Shoemaker for top jockey honors in the United States and by July 10 had taken over the lead with 176 wins. However, in August Shoemaker took the lead and maintained it for the rest of the year.
On September 18, 1955, DeSpirito suffered a traumatic brain injury
in a racing accident at New York's
Aqueduct Racetrack
. He returned to racing in January 1956; in May, he was hurt again in an accident at Laurel Park Racecourse and had to undergo surgery to remove a damaged kidney
and spleen
.
, obtained his best result with a second-place finish aboard the future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
colt, Victoria Park
.
On June 30 of that year, DeSpirito would come close to losing his life in a racing mishap at Suffolk Downs
. After being knocked off his saddle in the first turn, he was left dangling from one stirrup
and clinging to the horse's neck. Described by the Jockeys' Guild
as "one of the most heroic feats ever seen in American racing history", jockey Henry Wajda rode up beside DeSpirito's horse and reached over with his left hand to lift him back up into the saddle. Tragically, Wajda lost his own life following a racing accident at Rockingham Park on July 29, 1973.
DeSpirito continued to ride until April 1973, when he began work as a track patrol judge at Naragansett Park. On May 26, 1975, 39-year-old Tony DeSpirito was found dead in his Riverside, Rhode Island
apartment. Police ruled out foul play, and the coroner's
report found he had choked to death.
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
who found instant fame when he won the national riding title in 1952 as an apprentice in his first full year of racing.
Born in Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
, Tony DeSpirito was the son of a millworker. He left school at an early age to work as an exercise rider at Rockingham Park
Rockingham Park
Rockingham Park is a horse racing establishment in Salem, New Hampshire, in the United States. First built in 1906, it was used as an area for many to gamble on the weekends. Seabiscuit raced there in 1935 and 1936, and Mom's Command ran in her first race and gained her first victory there in...
in Salem, New Hampshire
Salem, New Hampshire
Salem is a town in Rockingham County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 28,776 at the 2010 census. Salem is a marketing and distributing center north of Boston, with a major amusement attraction, Canobie Lake Park, and a large shopping mall, the Mall at Rockingham Park.- History :The...
. There are conflicting newspaper reports of his birth year but the United States Social Security Death Index
Social Security Death Index
The Social Security Death Index is a database of death records created from the United States Social Security Administration's Death Master File Extract. Most persons who have died since 1962 who had a Social Security Number and whose death has been reported to the Social Security Administration...
records him as being born in 1935. DeSpirito rode his first race as an apprentice jockey in 1951 at Narragansett Race Track
Narragansett Race Track
Narragansett Park was an American race track for Thoroughbred horse races in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. On May 18, 1934 a special election was held, where by a 4-1 margin, pari-mutual wagering was made legal. Walter E. O'Hara formed the Narragansett Racing Association and was named president and...
in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
.
1952 Championship
In 1952 Tony DeSpirito began his record-setting year well behind other American jockeys in races won, as he did not get his first win until January 22 at Sunshine ParkTampa Bay Downs
Tampa Bay Downs is an American Thoroughbred horse racing facility located in Westchase in Hillsborough County, just outside Tampa, Florida. It opened in 1926 under the name Tampa Downs. The first of many names, the racetrack was well known as Sunshine Park and Florida Downs.-Season:The track races...
in Oldsmar, Florida
Oldsmar, Florida
Oldsmar is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,910 at the 2000 census. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates the population to be 13,401 as of 2008....
. He then began winning at a tremendous pace and would have several racedays with multiple victories. During the week of June 6–13, three times Despirito rode four winners on a single racecard at Suffolk Downs
Suffolk Downs
Suffolk Downs, a thoroughbred race track in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States opened in 1935. Famous horses that have raced at this track include Seabiscuit, Whirlaway, Funny Cide and Cigar. The MassCap is held there, as well at the annual Hot Dog Safari...
. At Rockingham Park
Rockingham Park
Rockingham Park is a horse racing establishment in Salem, New Hampshire, in the United States. First built in 1906, it was used as an area for many to gamble on the weekends. Seabiscuit raced there in 1935 and 1936, and Mom's Command ran in her first race and gained her first victory there in...
he rode six winners on August 21, 1952, and won six races again at Rockingham on October 10, 1953. On November 29, 1952, he rode five winners on a single card at Lincoln Downs Race Track in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. By December, he was in a position to challenge the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for wins in a year. That month he rode in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
; when the tracks there closed on Sunday, he flew to Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and won three races on December 28 at Oriental Park Racetrack
Oriental Park Racetrack
Oriental Park Racetrack in Marianao, Havana, Cuba was a thoroughbred horse racing facility operated during the winter months by the Havana-American Jockey Club of Cuba...
. On December 30, 1952 he rode his 389th winner at Tropical Park Race Track
Tropical Park Race Track
Tropical Park Race Track was a horse racing facility built on at the current intersection of Bird Road and the Palmetto Expressway in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in what is now the neighborhood of Olympia Heights. The race track was built by Bill Dwyer, a prohibition era bootlegger, and Frank...
in Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, breaking the record for most wins in a single year set by Walter Miller in 1906. DeSpirito ended the year with 390 wins from 1,474 mounts, a 26% win rate.
In 1953, DeSpirito continued his winning ways but was involved in the first of four serious accidents that would profoundly affect his career and see the media dub him the "hard luck jockey". Despite time lost as a result of his 1953 accident, he still finished the year with 311 wins but was well behind Bill Shoemaker who smashed Despirito's record with 485 wins. On November 1, 1953, Tony DeSpirito married Doris De Christoforo in a church ceremony in Revere, Massachusetts
Revere, Massachusetts
Revere is a city in Suffolk County, Massachusetts, United States, and located approximately from downtown Boston. It is named after the American patriot Paul Revere. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 51,755.- History :...
.
DeSpirito won the 1954 Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
aboard the Maine Chance Farm
Maine Chance Farm
Maine Chance Farm was an American Thoroughbred horse racing stable in Lexington, Kentucky owned by cosmetics tycoon, Elizabeth Arden.Elizabeth Arden raced under the nom de course "Mr. Nightingale" until 1943 when she adopted the name Maine Chance Farm from her health spa in Mount Vernon, Maine...
filly, Fascinator. In his only Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
appearance, he finished 13th in the 1954 edition aboard the Maine Chance colt Black Metal. During 1954, DeSpirito battled with riding greats Avelino Gomez
Avelino Gomez
Avelino Gomez was a Cuban-born Hall of Fame jockey in American and Canadian thoroughbred horse racing.Born in Havana, Gomez began a career as a jockey at the urging of a family member...
and Bill Shoemaker for top jockey honors in the United States and by July 10 had taken over the lead with 176 wins. However, in August Shoemaker took the lead and maintained it for the rest of the year.
On September 18, 1955, DeSpirito suffered a traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury
Traumatic brain injury , also known as intracranial injury, occurs when an external force traumatically injures the brain. TBI can be classified based on severity, mechanism , or other features...
in a racing accident at New York's
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...
. He returned to racing in January 1956; in May, he was hurt again in an accident at Laurel Park Racecourse and had to undergo surgery to remove a damaged kidney
Kidney
The kidneys, organs with several functions, serve essential regulatory roles in most animals, including vertebrates and some invertebrates. They are essential in the urinary system and also serve homeostatic functions such as the regulation of electrolytes, maintenance of acid–base balance, and...
and spleen
Spleen
The spleen is an organ found in virtually all vertebrate animals with important roles in regard to red blood cells and the immune system. In humans, it is located in the left upper quadrant of the abdomen. It removes old red blood cells and holds a reserve of blood in case of hemorrhagic shock...
.
Henry Wajda's heroism
In 1960 DeSpirito rode in his second and final Preakness StakesPreakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
, obtained his best result with a second-place finish aboard the future Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 at the Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario to honor those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and thoroughbred horse racing in Canada....
colt, Victoria Park
Victoria Park (horse)
Victoria Park was a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse. A grandson of American Triple Crown champion Gallant Fox, he was the first Canadian-bred horse to place in an American Triple Crown race...
.
On June 30 of that year, DeSpirito would come close to losing his life in a racing mishap at Suffolk Downs
Suffolk Downs
Suffolk Downs, a thoroughbred race track in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States opened in 1935. Famous horses that have raced at this track include Seabiscuit, Whirlaway, Funny Cide and Cigar. The MassCap is held there, as well at the annual Hot Dog Safari...
. After being knocked off his saddle in the first turn, he was left dangling from one stirrup
Stirrup
A stirrup is a light frame or ring that holds the foot of a rider, attached to the saddle by a strap, often called a stirrup leather. Stirrups are usually paired and are used to aid in mounting and as a support while using a riding animal...
and clinging to the horse's neck. Described by the Jockeys' Guild
Jockeys' Guild
The Jockeys' Guild Inc. is an American trade association based in Lexington, Kentucky, representing thoroughbred horse racing and American quarter horse professional jockeys...
as "one of the most heroic feats ever seen in American racing history", jockey Henry Wajda rode up beside DeSpirito's horse and reached over with his left hand to lift him back up into the saddle. Tragically, Wajda lost his own life following a racing accident at Rockingham Park on July 29, 1973.
DeSpirito continued to ride until April 1973, when he began work as a track patrol judge at Naragansett Park. On May 26, 1975, 39-year-old Tony DeSpirito was found dead in his Riverside, Rhode Island
Riverside, Rhode Island
Riverside, Rhode Island is the southern section of the city of East Providence in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Riverside's zip code is 02915 and has a population of approximately 18,000.Riverside is a suburban neighborhood for Providence...
apartment. Police ruled out foul play, and the coroner's
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
report found he had choked to death.