Delahoussaye Does Best to Promote Racing

If there were a vote for most popular jockey ever to ride in Southern California, it might be a dead-heat between Laffit Pincay Jr. and Eddie Delahoussaye. Horsemen and fans alike were enamored with their blue collar work ethic and low-profile persona.

Long retired due to injuries, each still dots the Southern California racing landscape, Delahoussaye primarily as a bloodstock agent and consultant. He will be front and center at Santa Anita Friday when he presents the trophy to the winning connections of a race named for him, the Grade III Eddie D. Stakes.

“It’s an honor,” said Delahoussaye, now 62 and retired for 11 years since suffering a concussion in a spill at Del Mar on Aug. 30, 2002. “At least I’ll be remembered. Hopefully, they’ll keep it going for many more years.

“Like I said last year, I’m glad they named it before I died. At least I’m here to enjoy it.”

While Pincay has no race named for him at Santa Anita, there is a bust of him adjacent to the walking ring, along with other racing greats, including Chris McCarron.

“I think if McCarron were out here, they’d name a race for him, too,” Delahoussaye said of his former peer and fellow Hall of Famer, who now resides in Kentucky where he is executive director of the North American Racing Academy in Lexington.

“I didn’t want one of those,” Delahoussaye said in jest about the statute. “Birds just poop on it. I didn’t want that. I tease McCarron about that all the time.”

Delahoussaye, who retired with 6,384 career wins and purse earnings of $195,884,940, keeps busy with consulting work and yearling sales. “It gives me something to do, and I do a little PR work for Santa Anita,” he said. “I do what I can to get more people involved in racing.”