Sports figure, jockey. Ronnie Franklin, 58, noted jockey who is best remembered as having ridden famed racehorse Spectacular Bid to victories in the 1979 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but who received much criticism for his ride in the 1979 Belmont, thus losing a Triple Crown opportunity, died March 8 of lung cancer.
Born in Baltimore, the youngest of six children, Franklin was just 19 years old, becoming one of the youngest jockeys to win a Kentucky Derby and Preakness, when he came up short when Spectacular Bid lost the Belmont Stakes, finishing third in the race. Although it was later revealed that the horse had stepped on a safety pin earlier in the day, how much Franklin's ride contributed to the defeat would be the subject of controversy. He never rode Spectacular Bid again.
Franklin considered his time with Spectacular Bid to be the highlight of his career. He rode 1,403 winners in 9,242 starts from 1978-92 and had purse earnings of more than $14 million. He had also won the Eclipse award for outstanding apprentice jockey.
Franklin began his career as a jockey having dropped out of school at 16. He found work with prominent trainer Grover "Buddy" Delp, who treated him like a son and with whom he lived. He later worked at a training center, where Delp noticed Franklin had a special rapport with Spectacular Bid. Franklin rode the two-year-old Bid to seven victories out of nine starts, with the horse winning champion two-year-old honors in 1978.
Franklin is survived by his mother, one brother, and four sisters.
A private service is planned.
Born in Baltimore, the youngest of six children, Franklin was just 19 years old, becoming one of the youngest jockeys to win a Kentucky Derby and Preakness, when he came up short when Spectacular Bid lost the Belmont Stakes, finishing third in the race. Although it was later revealed that the horse had stepped on a safety pin earlier in the day, how much Franklin's ride contributed to the defeat would be the subject of controversy. He never rode Spectacular Bid again.
Franklin considered his time with Spectacular Bid to be the highlight of his career. He rode 1,403 winners in 9,242 starts from 1978-92 and had purse earnings of more than $14 million. He had also won the Eclipse award for outstanding apprentice jockey.
Franklin began his career as a jockey having dropped out of school at 16. He found work with prominent trainer Grover "Buddy" Delp, who treated him like a son and with whom he lived. He later worked at a training center, where Delp noticed Franklin had a special rapport with Spectacular Bid. Franklin rode the two-year-old Bid to seven victories out of nine starts, with the horse winning champion two-year-old honors in 1978.
Franklin is survived by his mother, one brother, and four sisters.
A private service is planned.
Sports figure, jockey. Ronnie Franklin, 58, noted jockey who is best remembered as having ridden famed racehorse Spectacular Bid to victories in the 1979 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, but who received much criticism for his ride in the 1979 Belmont, thus losing a Triple Crown opportunity, died March 8 of lung cancer.
Born in Baltimore, the youngest of six children, Franklin was just 19 years old, becoming one of the youngest jockeys to win a Kentucky Derby and Preakness, when he came up short when Spectacular Bid lost the Belmont Stakes, finishing third in the race. Although it was later revealed that the horse had stepped on a safety pin earlier in the day, how much Franklin's ride contributed to the defeat would be the subject of controversy. He never rode Spectacular Bid again.
Franklin considered his time with Spectacular Bid to be the highlight of his career. He rode 1,403 winners in 9,242 starts from 1978-92 and had purse earnings of more than $14 million. He had also won the Eclipse award for outstanding apprentice jockey.
Franklin began his career as a jockey having dropped out of school at 16. He found work with prominent trainer Grover "Buddy" Delp, who treated him like a son and with whom he lived. He later worked at a training center, where Delp noticed Franklin had a special rapport with Spectacular Bid. Franklin rode the two-year-old Bid to seven victories out of nine starts, with the horse winning champion two-year-old honors in 1978.
Franklin is survived by his mother, one brother, and four sisters.
A private service is planned.
Born in Baltimore, the youngest of six children, Franklin was just 19 years old, becoming one of the youngest jockeys to win a Kentucky Derby and Preakness, when he came up short when Spectacular Bid lost the Belmont Stakes, finishing third in the race. Although it was later revealed that the horse had stepped on a safety pin earlier in the day, how much Franklin's ride contributed to the defeat would be the subject of controversy. He never rode Spectacular Bid again.
Franklin considered his time with Spectacular Bid to be the highlight of his career. He rode 1,403 winners in 9,242 starts from 1978-92 and had purse earnings of more than $14 million. He had also won the Eclipse award for outstanding apprentice jockey.
Franklin began his career as a jockey having dropped out of school at 16. He found work with prominent trainer Grover "Buddy" Delp, who treated him like a son and with whom he lived. He later worked at a training center, where Delp noticed Franklin had a special rapport with Spectacular Bid. Franklin rode the two-year-old Bid to seven victories out of nine starts, with the horse winning champion two-year-old honors in 1978.
Franklin is survived by his mother, one brother, and four sisters.
A private service is planned.
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