Lucien Laurin facts for kids

Lucien Laurin (born March 18, 1912 – died June 26, 2000) was a famous French-Canadian jockey and horse trainer. He is known for training some of the fastest Thoroughbred racehorses.

Laurin became a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1977. He was also honored in the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1978. His most famous horse was Secretariat, who won the Triple Crown in 1973.

Lucien Laurin's Early Life and Career

Lucien Laurin was born in Joliette, Quebec, Canada. He started his career in horse racing in 1929. His first job was as a jockey at Blue Bonnets Raceway in Montreal.

After winning 161 races as a jockey, Laurin faced challenges with his weight. In 1942, he decided to become a horse trainer. This new role lasted for 45 years. He worked with different stables and had a long partnership with horse owner Reginald N. Webster.

Training Successes with Reginald Webster

For Reginald Webster, Laurin trained many winning horses. One of them was a horse named Quill. Quill was named the best two-year-old female horse in America in 1958.

Another important horse was Amberoid. Amberoid won the 1966 Wood Memorial Stakes. This win gave Laurin his first major "American Classic" race victory, the Belmont Stakes.

Joining Meadow Stable and the Triple Crown Wins

Lucien Laurin's son, Roger Laurin, also worked as a horse trainer. Roger worked for Christopher Chenery's Meadow Stable. When Roger left to work for another owner, he suggested his father, Lucien, could help Meadow Stable temporarily.

Lucien Laurin came out of retirement in 1971 to work for Meadow Stable. At first, this was supposed to be a short-term job. The stable was having money problems at the time.

The Rise of Meadow Stable

Things quickly changed for Meadow Stable with Lucien Laurin as trainer. Their horse, Riva Ridge, earned over $500,000 in 1971. Riva Ridge was named the best two-year-old male horse that year.

With Laurin's help, Meadow Stable became a top racing stable. They won many important races. They also won five out of six U.S. Triple Crown races in 1972 and 1973.

Riva Ridge's Victories

Under Lucien Laurin, Riva Ridge won the 1972 Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. The jockey for Riva Ridge was fellow Canadian Ron Turcotte.

A heavy rainstorm made the track muddy at Pimlico Race Course. Because of this, Riva Ridge might have missed winning the Triple Crown that year.

Recognized as Top Trainer

In 1972, Lucien Laurin received the Eclipse Award. This award is given to North America's most outstanding trainer.

Training Secretariat, the Legend

Despite his success with Riva Ridge, Laurin is most famous for training Secretariat. Secretariat was voted the best two-year-old male horse in 1972. He was also named the American Horse of the Year in both 1972 and 1973.

In 1973, Secretariat became the first horse in 25 years to win the Triple Crown. This means he won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes all in the same year. Secretariat is ranked as the second-best U.S. racehorse of the 20th century.

Retirement and Legacy

Lucien Laurin retired from racing for a second time in 1976. However, he returned in 1983. He became a trainer and part-owner of Evergreen Stable.

In his career, Laurin trained a total of 36 horses that won major stakes races. He was honored for his achievements by being inducted into two Hall of Fames. He joined the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1977. The next year, he was also inducted into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame.

Lucien Laurin passed away in 2000 at a hospital in Miami, Florida. He was living at his home in Key Largo, Florida at the time.