Late jockey Flores 'embodied all that is good' in racing

After suffering injuries Monday in a fall at Parx Racing, jockey Jose Flores, who was the track's all-time leading earner, died Thursday.

According to the Daily Racing Form, Flores was taken off life support at approximately 12:45 p.m. ET.

Horsemen began eulogizing Flores overnight Monday as they learned the gravity of the situation. On Thursday, a Parx Racing Statement said, "Jose was an outstanding jockey who was greatly admired for both his superb talent and his wonderful personality. He embodied all that is good in the world of horse racing, and will be missed immensely.

"We offer our deepest condolences and prayers to his family, friends and the entire racing community.”

Flores, who was 56, is survived by his wife, the former jockey Joanne McDaid-Flores, and children Juan, Junior and Julian.

The native of Peru also rode in Panama before relocating to Florida in the early 1980s. He knew no English and found it difficult to acclimate, so he learned the new language “out of necessity,” according to his Pennsylvania racing bio, while living with a police officer who also knew Spanish.

Flores rode at Minnesota’s Canterbury Downs before settling in Pennsylvania, where he won his first riding title in 1992 at Penn National. Located in Bensalem, Penn., Parx did not run its Tuesday card out of respect for Flores.

Flores won his biggest race in 1999, the Grade 3, $200,000 Philadelphia Park Breeders’ Cup, aboard Loaded Gun. This year, according to Equibase, he posted 12 victories from 112 starters with 25 other finishes on the board.