The closing day of the 2010 Churchill Downs Spring Meet also marks the conclusion of one of the most respected careers on the Kentucky riding circuit. Longtime jockey Larry Melancon rode in his final race today, finishing ninth aboard the 2-year-old filly War Clan in today’s sixth race.
Melancon, who is five weeks shy of his 55th birthday, first came to Churchill Downs in 1974 and has won at least one race every meet since except for the three he did not ride – Fall 1974, Spring 1979, and Fall 1993 when he was sidelined by fractured ribs.
In all, Melancon has ridden 941 winners at Churchill, third all time behind Hall of Famer Pat Day (2,482) and three-time Derby winning jockey Calvin Borel. His 46 stakes wins at the Louisville track rank fourth all time.
For his 39-year career, Melancon has 2,857 victories with more than $60.6 million in purses. He rode in the Kentucky Derby four times, the first in 1976.
“I had no idea that this would last this long,” Melancon said Friday morning. “I got to ride some good horses and those were the ones that kept you going and getting up in the mornings.”
Alicia Wincze Hughes is the turf writer for the Lexington Herald-Leader. She started riding at age 8 and was a four-year member of the Pace University equestrian team.
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