jockey question?

[HogFanInBryant]

What ever happened to Donnie and Lonnie Meche?  I know Lonnie has won a grade 1 when he had Blushing KD for Sam David, but didn't Donnie win a grade 1 also?  Both of them were really getting to be good riders years ago but seems they both kinda vanished.  Just curious what happened if anyone knows?

[PineyWoodsRooter]

Donnie is riding now at Delta. I'm not sure what happened to Lonnie. I couldn't find him in any of the searches I made.

[husker71]

Lonnie stopped riding in 2010, but I dont know why.  Donnie is another story.  I still bet on him but certainly not with the vigor I used to.  At one time I thought he was going to step into the top 40 jockeys.  I was looking back one time at all the apprentice jockeys that I thought  when they lost their bug they would still be really good.  My stats on that are not very good.

[HogFanInBryant]

here are 3 jockeys that I think ended up really being disappointments and at one time folks thought they could be top 10 at the times they were very hot:

John McKee
Mickey Walls
Lonnie Meche

Mickey Walls was so hot one year I think they were investigating him race by race for something illegal....anyone remember him?

[husker71]

how about Ronnie Franklin???  from triple crown winner to???

[heavylifting]

Mickey Walls was so hot one year I think they were investigating him race by race for something illegal....anyone remember him?

Sure, he rode primarily up at Woodbine, occasionally at Fair Grounds during the winter months. His is a typical story, much like Wesley Ward, Declan Murphy and others -- his body really wasn't made for being a jockey. The task of making weight took its toll, so he retired. He now assists his father, Joe Walls, up in Canada. I don't remember there ever being anything sinister about his winning; the only thing a jock could really do is carry a buzzer and that can easily be detected.

Ward is the prototypical young jock who was going to grow to be too big, so he was ready to ride as soon as he turned 16. I remember that day; it was a Saturday at Aqueduct, in the winter of either 1984 or 1985. If he didn't ride the entire card, he sure did ride most of it. He was well publicized, because his father, Dennis, had been leading apprentice in New York back in 1962, I think it was. Dennis, too, then grew too big for the saddle.

I remember bringing a horse over for one of those races on that day Wesley rode his first race. Michael Sedlacek, who was then one of the leading trainers in New York, was riding him in that race. I think Wesley dropped to 7 pounds within a week of his first mount.

[heavylifting]

While on the subject, has anyone else taken notice of how Norberto Arroyo, Jr. is tearing it up at Turfway Park?

He broke in at Suffolk Downs, near where he grew up, moved to New York and became a solid player there, even after losing the bug. But he couldn't seem to stay out of trouble off the track and was sentenced to jail for his involvement in a brawl in a pool hall. Apparently, he's done his time and hasn't lost his touch. On the track, that is. I can't vouch for how he's holding up around the billiards tables in metro Cincy.

[Rendezvous Cook]

While on the subject, has anyone else taken notice of how Norberto Arroyo, Jr. is tearing it up at Turfway Park?

He broke in at Suffolk Downs, near where he grew up, moved to New York and became a solid player there, even after losing the bug. But he couldn't seem to stay out of trouble off the track and was sentenced to jail for his involvement in a brawl in a pool hall. Apparently, he's done his time and hasn't lost his touch. On the track, that is. I can't vouch for how he's holding up around the billiards tables in metro Cincy.

Haven't noticed, but I'll take an extra look if I play TP. 

Funny post too.  +1

[HogFanInBryant]

Sure, he rode primarily up at Woodbine, occasionally at Fair Grounds during the winter months. His is a typical story, much like Wesley Ward, Declan Murphy and others -- his body really wasn't made for being a jockey. The task of making weight took its toll, so he retired. He now assists his father, Joe Walls, up in Canada. I don't remember there ever being anything sinister about his winning; the only thing a jock could really do is carry a buzzer and that can easily be detected.

Ward is the prototypical young jock who was going to grow to be too big, so he was ready to ride as soon as he turned 16. I remember that day; it was a Saturday at Aqueduct, in the winter of either 1984 or 1985. If he didn't ride the entire card, he sure did ride most of it. He was well publicized, because his father, Dennis, had been leading apprentice in New York back in 1962, I think it was. Dennis, too, then grew too big for the saddle.

I remember bringing a horse over for one of those races on that day Wesley rode his first race. Michael Sedlacek, who was then one of the leading trainers in New York, was riding him in that race. I think Wesley dropped to 7 pounds within a week of his first mount.

the meet I remember Mickey Walls tearing it up at was Arlington one year, the guy won multiple races each day every day, it was crazy but this was years ago