Garrett Gomez Belongs in The Hall of Fame

When I became serious about thoroughbred horse racing, in 2007, the first jockey who really caught my attention was Garrett Gomez. The bond he had with his mounts was inescapable. He won on every surface and no matter what the odds, one could never count him out as he seemed to find a way to win when, at times, it looked impossible. I quickly anointed him as one of the best ambassadors of the sport. Gomez made time to speak with the media and his intelligence and love of the sport were revealed with each word he uttered. 

 

In 2007, Gomez won a record 76 stakes races and was the leading rider by earnings each year from 2006 through 2009. He won 13 Breeders’ Cup races in eight years and earned the Bill Shoemaker Award as the top Jockey four times at the Breeders’ Cup. GoGo, as many fans called him, won three riding titles at Hollywood Park, one each at Keeneland, Arlington, and Santa Anita. He earned $205,224,351 while racing. In 2011, he won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, which other jockeys vote on.

 

Yet, this is the sixth time in the past seven years voters will send their ballots in for his consideration into the National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame. Any other jockey with such accolades would have gotten in within the first three years. The only reason Gomez has not been inducted, in my opinion, is because of the disease which, ultimately took his life last December 14th.

Some people lack an understanding of this disease and some do not consider it a disease but a flaw in character. The American Medical Association declared alcoholism a disease in 1956 and drug addiction as a disease in 1987 although the concept first surfaced in the 19th century. Unless you have known someone with the disease of addiction, or have been inflicted with it yourself, it can be difficult to understand but empirical knowledge has proven it is a disease not a matter of willpower or character flaw.

 

What’s remarkable is that Garrett Gomez returned from treatment and accomplished all he did. When he was not riding, he was helping others. I’ve been watching TVG since 2007 and have never witnessed the visible impact a death of a member in the racing community had as it did on everyone December 14, 2016. Garrett Gomez touched so many people and it was quite evident how much he was and is still missed. Let’s not miss the opportunity to finally give this distinguished jockey the final accolade we can: Thoroughbred Horse Racing’s Hall of Fame, Class of 2017.