Jacky Martin - One More Call to Post
As dawn arrived on Easter Sunday, the Horse Racing Nation was waking up minus one of its most heralded members; World Champion Quarter Horse rider, Jacky Martin.
You might say that Jacky Martin was to American Quarter Horse Racing what guys like Bill Hartack and Eddie Arcaro were to American Thoroughbred Racing. Much the same as these men, Jacky Martin knew how to bring forth the best of his mounts. With nearly 3,000 wins and almost $46 million in career earnings, Jacky’s achievements speak volumes about his talent on a horse.
Like his thoroughbred riding counterparts, Martin was born and raised in America, in Jacky’s case rural Arkansas. In addition, Jacky’s horsemanship guided him to victories in the Quarter Horse Industry’s most coveted race, the now $2,000,000 plus, All American Futurity.
In his time spent in the saddle, Jacky Martin teamed with trainer Jack Brooks to win the world’s most lucrative race for Quarter Horses seven separate times. By comparison, Hartack and Arcaro each won the Kentucky Derby five times respectfully.
Yes, the nuances do differ somewhat between piloting a horse the 440 yards of the All American to the 1 ¼ miles of the Kentucky Derby. However, the fact that a gate full of the sport's best horses and riders are lining up to beat you remains the same in both cases. Moreover, most people would agree that this record would stand at nine if not for the ill fate of Brigand Silk, and Jacky’s accident shortly prior to Ochoa winning the 2011 Futurity with Roy Balidillez in the irons.
Sadly, because of that accident, Jacky lived the final years of his life in a wheelchair, paralyzed from the neck down. A hardship only made easier perhaps by his wife Tracy standing faithfully along Jacky's side.
Along those lines, the Jacky Martin Benefit Stallion Auction was recently established in order to raise funds for Jacky's Quest for a better life, and that auction will be ongoing in order to help with medical cost. In addition, I will post funeral arrangements as they become available.
One can easily envision Brigand Silk standing tacked and waiting for Jacky. Waiting for the yell, “Riders Up” and One More Call to Post.