Ron Turcotte, the Hall of Fame jockey forever linked with the legendary Secretariat, has died at 84.

Turcotte guided Secretariat through his unmatched Triple Crown sweep in 1973, capped by the breathtaking 31-length demolition in the Belmont Stakes that remains one of the sport’s defining images. Just a year earlier, he had piloted another Meadow Stable star, Riva Ridge, to Kentucky Derby and Belmont triumphs.

The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame remembered him in a statement as “a legendary rider and also an inspiration for all he achieved and overcame during his incredible life,” adding that his generosity with fans made him “an ambassador for both the sport and the legacy of the great Secretariat.”

Turcotte’s riding career spanned 18 years and produced more than 3,000 wins before a devastating spill at Belmont Park in 1978 left him paralyzed. Despite that, he remained deeply connected to racing, making appearances, signing autographs, and tirelessly supporting the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

Born in New Brunswick, Canada, Turcotte became not just a Triple Crown-winning jockey but also the enduring public face of Secretariat’s story, long after the horse’s passing in 1989. Over the years, he outlived nearly all of “Big Red’s” closest human connections: groom Eddie Sweat (d. 1998), trainer Lucien Laurin (d. 2000), and owner-breeder Penny Chenery (d. 2017).

Though Secretariat’s shadow loomed large, Turcotte carved out his own place in history — as a fearless competitor, a dignified ambassador, and a reminder of the fragility and resilience that define the sport.