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Hall Of Fame Jockey Jerry Nicodemus Dies
"Records are made to be broken. I like to beat them every chance I get."— Jerry Nicodemus.

© Ginny Harding
Hall Of Fame Jockey Jerry Nicodemus Dies

RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—JANUARY 31, 2019—Quarter Horse Hall of Fame jockey Jerry Nicodemus, 73, died Wednesday, January 30. An Ohio native, his riding talents were sought by many trainers and owners. In 6,317 races, he won 1,252 and earned $18,888,775.

Nicodemus once said, "I associated with good people – owners, trainers, other jockeys. I think I've led a pretty good life in racing."

When he was 10, he worked for spending money by cleaning stalls and riding ponies. Obsessed with the idea of riding racehorses, he left home at 14 and lied about his age so he could work as a groom at Beulah Park.

Nicodemus knew being a jockey wasn't going to be easy, but he never gave up. He found his way to Arcadia Racetrack in Houston. Supplemented by wages earned in the rice fields, he started making his living as a jockey – at 17.

World Champion Dash For Cash returns under jockey Jerry Nicodemus after winning the Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos Race Course. ca. 1977 / © Martinez
The first Quarter Horse Nicodemus ever rode was named Cold Death. The horse went down and Nicodemus broke his leg. The first time he rode for Hall of Fame Trainer C. W. "Bubba" Cascio, his mount ran through the rail and again Nicodemus suffered a broken leg.

In 1968, Nicodemus rode Three Oh's to win the first three All American Futurities. He also won the world's richest Quarter Horse race aboard Rocket Wrangler in 1970 and Ronas Ryon in 1986.

He is tied for the most wins in the Champion of Champions with four – Dash For Cash (1976-77), Lady Juno (1980) and Denim N Diamonds (1981).

"They used to call me the Golden Greek all the time. Then Bubba Cascio started that name, the Ice Man. He said I had ice water in my veins," Nicodemus said.

The famed jockey rode AQHA Racing World Champion and former all-time leading sire Dash For Cash in all but two of the horse's 25 starts. In one race, Dash For Cash hit the side of the starting gate, shattered the stirrup and broke Nic's foot, still winning the race.

In 1978, Nicodemus was thrown and spent three days in a deep coma, breaking his neck, back and multiple ribs. He came back, tough as ever, rode for 15 more years and retired near the top of his game in 1993.

During his career, Jerry Nicodemus rode many American Quarter Horse champions, including Gold Coast Express, and Dashing Phoebe.

He retired near the top of his game in 1993, and worked as a racing steward and was inducted into the Ruidoso Hall of Fame in 2004 was inducted into the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame in 2009.

Funeral services will be added to this article when they become available.