Larry Demeritte, trainer who realized his dream of running a horse in the Kentucky Derby, dies at 75
His wife, Inga, said her husband died Monday night of cardiac arrest after a long battle with cancer, the Louisville Courier-Journal reported Tuesday.
A Bahamas native, Demeritte moved to the United States in 1976 and attended his first Derby the following year, when Seattle Slew won on his way to a Triple Crown sweep.
Demeritte became the second Black trainer since 1951 in the 150th Derby last year. The other, Hank Allen, finished sixth with Northern Wolf in 1989.
'This is truly amazing how we got to this position with this horse,' Demeritte said. 'I'm hopeful people will see our story and become interested in this sport because this horse is proving anyone with a dream can make it to the Derby stage.'
His horse, West Saratoga, finished 12th.
The colt was an $11,000 purchase and the pride of Demeritte's 11-horse stable at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington. West Saratoga went on to earn $473,418 in his 13-race career.
'My motto is, 'I don't buy cheap horses. I buy good horses cheap,'' he said last year.
Demeritte was diagnosed with cancer in 1996 and underwent chemotherapy. His father was a trainer in the Bahamas and Demeritte still carried the accent of his home country, where he was leading trainer for two years.
Demeritte had run horses on the Derby undercard in past years.
'I've been practicing,' he said in 2024. 'I used to pray to get to the Derby. I feel like I am blessed with this horse.'
Demeritte went out on his own as a trainer in 1981 and won 184 races in 2,138 career starts with purse earnings of more than $5.3 million. His last race was May 13, when Mendello finished fourth at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
'We're all so glad and proud that Larry achieved his dream of being in the Kentucky Derby with West Saratoga,' the Kentucky Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association said in a statement.
'It showed yet again that the little guy, with some luck and a lot of skill, can compete with stables with far greater numbers and bankroll. Larry, with his backstory, engaging personality and wide smile, was a terrific ambassador for horse racing, and the industry lost one of its bright lights with his passing.'
___
AP horse racing: https://apnews.com/hub/horse-racing
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
5 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Giroud takes only 11 minutes to score on return to Ligue 1 as his new side Lille draws at Brest
PARIS (AP) — Veteran striker Olivier Giroud took only 11 minutes to score on his return to Ligue 1, but it was not enough as his new side Lille drew 3-3 at Brest on Sunday. Giroud was picked out by Felix Correia's clever pass behind the defense and finished with a left-footed shot under the goalkeeper. The 38-year-old Giroud became Lille's oldest scorer in Ligue 1 and he lasted the whole game. Midfielder Hakon Arnar Haraldsson made it 2-0 before Kamory Doumbia scored twice to level the match. Lille regained the lead midway through the second half when Ngal'ayel Mukau scored following a corner, but Julien Le Cardinal equalized. Paris Saint-Germain will begin its title defense later Sunday with a trip to Nantes, and traveled without goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who said he wants to leave the club and has been linked with a move to Manchester City. In Sunday's other matches, newly promoted Paris FC was at Angers while Metz faced Strasbourg and Auxerre hosted Ligue 2 winner Lorient. Back to France Giroud joined Lille after a disappointing spell with Los Angeles FC. He previously made his name with AC Milan, Chelsea and Arsenal — the club he joined from Montpellier after winning the French title in 2012 and scoring 21 league goals that season. Giroud is France's all-time leading men's scorer with 57 goals and won the 2018 World Cup with Les Bleus. ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
5 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Penge beats Hojgaard in final-day duel to win Danish Golf Championship
COPENHAGEN (AP) — English golfer Marco Penge tapped in for birdie at the 18th hole to win the Danish Golf Championship on Sunday by a stroke from Rasmus Hojgaard, who missed a chance to climb into the automatic qualifying positions for Europe's Ryder Cup team. Hojgaard looked on course for the title in his home country when he powered into a four-shot lead midway through his front nine, only to drop four strokes in four holes from No. 10 and allow Penge to take the lead. Penge walked down the par-5 18th with a two-shot cushion over Hojgaard in the final pairing, but saw his partner roll in an eagle putt from 10 feet to the delight of the crowd at Furesø Golf Klub in Copenhagen. The 97th-ranked Penge needed to hole a birdie putt from 3 feet for the win and he held his nerve to shoot 4-under 67, finish on 16 under for the week and seal a second European tour title. Both victories have come this year, with the first at the Hainan Classic in April. Hojgaard (69) was the runner-up and will remain outside the six automatic qualifying spots, just behind No. 6 Sepp Straka, in the race to get into Europe's team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black next month. There is one qualifying event left for both players next week. Hojgaard will play at the British Masters on the European tour and Straka is scheduled to play on the PGA Tour at the Tour Championship, which offers more qualifying points. ___ AP golf:
Toronto Star
2 hours ago
- Toronto Star
Newly promoted Ligue 1 side Paris FC signs striker Geubbels from St. Gallen
PARIS (AP) — Newly promoted Ligue 1 side Paris FC signed striker Willem Geubbels from Swiss team St. Gallen on a five-year contract on Sunday. Paris FC announced the signing with a video posted on X. No transfer fee was given but French sports daily L'Équipe said Geubbels cost 9 million euros ($10.5 million) with a further 2.5 million euros in eventual bonuses.
