Secretariat and His Friend, Charlie Davis: Together Again, at Last.

This morning, 7 February 2018, Hall of Fame jockey, Ron Turcotte, lost a dear friend when Charlie Davis’ soul took wing and left behind his sick body.  I have no doubt that Charlie was singing the old hymn, “I’ll Fly Away.”  I believe sincerely that Charlie is healed, whole, healthy and beautiful in his new spiritual body in Heaven.  His heart is full, as I’m sure that his beloved friend, Secretariat, greeted him at Heaven’s gate.

 Charlie, if you didn’t know, was exercise rider to both Riva Ridge and Secretariat.  Charlie, like all exercise riders, did far-more than most casual fans of horse racing understand.  Exercise riders are on the front line with a horse.  Yes, they have to work a race horse, taking him/her from first-gate training up through full-out racing speed.  But they also–while they’re on that horse–have to diagnose.  Is the horse off?  Not feeling well?  Breathing heavily, or not enough?  Sweating and throwing out electrolytes?

Exercise riders are the first people who can say to a trainer or owner, “Your horse needs stall rest.”  They are the brave spirits who crawl up onto the back of an 1,100-pound animal; ride that animal at breakneck speeds–and act as counselor, doctor, therapist and Best Friend to that horse.

Charlie Davis was Riva Ridge’s friend.  He was Secretariat’s friend.  Charlie, a wonderful personality and joy to be around–did the one thing that no one else on Eaerth can claim:  he exercised Secretariat.  He taught Secretariat how to trust a rider, implicitly.  To tell the rider his secrets, and when he just wan’t feeling up to snuff.

Charlie Davis had the supreme privilege of crawling up onto the back of the greatest Thoroughbred ever to draw breath.  Charlie returned the favor by assuring Secretariat that he always had a friend who saw him as a special soul, first.  Charlie saw what no fan could see.  Charlie counseled as no casual observer, no journalist, could counsel.  Charlie was Secretariat’s mentor and teacher.

And now, Charlie is with his dear, Big Red friend again.  Together, they’re tearing up Elysian Fields.  Together, at last, with Penny Chenery at the rail, pumping her fist and proclaiming, “…I got The Horse!”  Yes, she did have the horse.  And she gently entrusted that magnificent beast to the late, perhaps-underacknowledged, great, Charlie Davis.

God rest your soul, Charlie; enjoy your Heaven with Big Red, Penny and Riva Ridge.  You earned it, every furlong of the way.

<3

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                      
Contact: Leonard Lusky
llusky@secretariat.com
(502) 419-7001

SECRETARIAT TEAM MOURNS THE LOSS OF CHARLIE DAVIS

Secretariat Exercise Rider Passes Away After Brief Battle With Lung Cancer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 7, 2018) — The Secretariat Team announced today that Charlie Davis, the charismatic exercise rider for 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat, died early this morning from complications of lung cancer. He was 78.

            Davis, who was born on Feb. 2, 1940, in Orangeburg, S.C., started his vocation by cutting elementary school to watch the Thoroughbreds train on the farm where his father worked. Small in stature but tough and determined, Davis learned how to exercise horses and eventually went to work for legendary trainer Lucien Laurin, becoming a member of the famed “Holly Hills” crew that also included storied groom Eddie Sweat.

             Davis exercised some of the era’s top racing stars of the 1960s, including champion filly Quill and Belmont Stakes winner Amberoid. In 1971, when Laurin took over Christopher Chenery’s Meadow string, Davis was assigned as exercise rider for the stable’s champion colt Riva Ridge and later Secretariat. He continued exercising horses until 1981, when he was thrown and suffered a career-ending back injury. Davis later worked as a foaling manager for several farms in the Ocala, Fla., area, and was known throughout the industry as a well-rounded horseman.

            In a recent interview with Tim Sullivan of the Louisville Courier-Journal, Davis reflected, “I just wanted to be Charlie, no more than the good Lord let me,” he said. “I don’t want to be more than what I is.”

            Ron Turcotte, the Hall of Fame jockey who rode both Riva Ridge and Secretariat, said that Davis’ passing is a great loss for the Secretariat Team and for the sport of horse racing.

            “Charlie was a great friend to me personally and a great friend to the sport,” Turcotte said. “He and Eddie [Sweat] knew Secretariat better than any of us, and Charlie became a walking history book about those days. He was a wonderful exercise rider with a true horseman’s touch, and the achievements of both Riva Ridge and Secretariat were a result of Charlie’s work with them.”

            Davis regularly made appearances at racing venues, the Secretariat Festival and other events to the delight of generations of fans, always willing to share stories of Secretariat and his first-hand experiences as a member of the Meadow Stable Team. Following the announcement of his cancer diagnosis last month, friends and fans rallied around Davis, raising funds to cover his medical expenses.

            Davis is survived by his wife of 51 years, Caroline, as well as seven children and several grandchildren. His daughter, Katina Davis, said the family has been overwhelmed by the love and support they have received.

            “We are heartbroken that we lost him,” Ms. Davis said. “He was always so generous with whatever he had, especially his time. He loved talking about his days as an exercise rider, and he loved Secretariat. We are very grateful to all of his friends and fans who have offered messages of support and contributed to his GoFundMe campaign. That financial assistance has eased our worries as we cover Dad’s final expenses.”

            Funeral arrangements for Charlie Davis are pending. Written condolences may be sent to:

The Davis Family   P.O. BOX 831072   Ocala, Florida   34483

            Davis never missed an opportunity to brag on his champion Secretariat, whom he simply called ‘The Man,’ yet he was always humble about his own undeniable contributions to the colt’s legendary success and content to stand in Big Red’s massive shadow.

            “I’d like people to say about me, ‘I knew a guy that galloped Secretariat.’ That is good enough for me.”

            More information can be found at Secretariat.com, the official website for the legendary Thoroughbred champion, as well as its official social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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