Jack M. Lauzon
Encyclopedia
Jack M. Lauzon is a retired Canadian
Thoroughbred
horse racing
jockey
whom The Blood-Horse
magazine called "one of the most respected riders in Canada."
Lauzon began his professional riding career in 1981 and met with considerable success at Fort Erie Racetrack, Greenwood Raceway
and Woodbine Racetrack
and won races in the United States. He is a two-time winner of Canada's most prestigious, the Queen's Plate
. He won his first Plate in 1988 aboard Regal Intention
then the following year missed winning the race again when his horse was beaten by less than a nose. In 1994 he won his second Plate aboard Basqueian
plus went on that year to win the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown series
, the Breeders' Stakes
.
near Hong Kong
when he was involved in an a racing accident that most believed would end his career. He was paralysed from the chest down after fracturing three vertebrae and was within a hair of severing his spinal cord
. After more than two and half years of painful rehabilitation therapy, he returned to racing in April 1999. In 2005, writer/broadcaster Peter Gross won a Sovereign Award for Outstanding Newspaper Article
with the story of Lauzon's accident and recovery titled "The Amazing Story of Jack Lauzon" which appeared in The Game newspaper.
Jack Lauzon retired in 2007 and became a jockey's agent
. His contribution to the sport of Thoroughbred racing was honoured with the 2008 Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
whom The Blood-Horse
The Blood-Horse magazine
The Blood-Horse is an international weekly news magazine about Thoroughbred horses, horse breeding, and horseracing. It was founded in 1916, the oldest continually published North American Thoroughbred magazine. The magazine is based in Lexington, Kentucky, the Horse Capital of the World...
magazine called "one of the most respected riders in Canada."
Lauzon began his professional riding career in 1981 and met with considerable success at Fort Erie Racetrack, Greenwood Raceway
Greenwood Raceway
Greenwood Raceway is a defunct horse racing facility in Toronto.Inaugurated in 1874 as Woodbine Race Course at the foot of Woodbine Avenue and Lake Ontario, it was owned and operated by two gentlemen named Pardee and Howell. Within a few years financial problems resulted in the property reverting...
and Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack
Woodbine Racetrack is a Canadian racetrack for Thoroughbred horse races located at 555 Rexdale Blvd. in the city of Toronto, Ontario. It is the only horseracing track in North America which stages, or is capable of staging, thoroughbred and standardbred horseracing programs on the same day...
and won races in the United States. He is a two-time winner of Canada's most prestigious, the Queen's Plate
Queen's Plate
The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest thoroughbred horse race. It is run at a distance of 1¼ miles for 3-year-old thoroughbred horses foaled in Canada. The race takes place each summer in June or July at Woodbine Racetrack, Etobicoke , Ontario...
. He won his first Plate in 1988 aboard Regal Intention
Regal Intention
Regal Intention is a Canadian Champion Thoroughbred racehorse. A grandson of Northern Dancer, he was out of the mare, Tiffany Tam and sired by the important Vice Regent who also sired his stablemate and arch rival, Regal Classic....
then the following year missed winning the race again when his horse was beaten by less than a nose. In 1994 he won his second Plate aboard Basqueian
Basqueian
Basqueian is a Canadian Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning two of the 1994 Canadian Triple Crown races.Basqueian was bred and raced by prominent businessman and major stable owner, Frank Stronach. Racing at age three in 1994, at Toronto's Woodbine Racetrack Basqueian finished second by...
plus went on that year to win the third leg of the Canadian Triple Crown series
Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
The Canadian Triple Crown is a series of three Thoroughbred horse races run annually in Canada which is open to three-year-old horses foaled in Canada...
, the Breeders' Stakes
Breeders' Stakes
The Breeders' Stakes is a Canadian stakes race for Thoroughbred race horses first run in 1889. Since 1959 it has been the third race in the Canadian Triple Crown for three-year-olds...
.
Accident and recovery
In August 1996 Jack Lauzon was competing at the Macau Jockey ClubMacau Jockey Club
The Macau Jockey Club is an organisation providing horse racing and betting entertainment in the former Portuguese colony of Macau, in the People's Republic of China....
near Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
when he was involved in an a racing accident that most believed would end his career. He was paralysed from the chest down after fracturing three vertebrae and was within a hair of severing his spinal cord
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
. After more than two and half years of painful rehabilitation therapy, he returned to racing in April 1999. In 2005, writer/broadcaster Peter Gross won a Sovereign Award for Outstanding Newspaper Article
Sovereign Award
The Sovereign Award is given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canadian Thoroughbred racing.The most prestigious award for horses is Sovereign Horse of the Year....
with the story of Lauzon's accident and recovery titled "The Amazing Story of Jack Lauzon" which appeared in The Game newspaper.
Jack Lauzon retired in 2007 and became a jockey's agent
Sports agent
A sports agent procures and negotiates employment and endorsement contracts for an athlete.In return, the sports agent generally receives between 4 and 10% of the athlete's playing contract, and 10 to 20% of the athlete's endorsement contract, though these figures vary...
. His contribution to the sport of Thoroughbred racing was honoured with the 2008 Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
The Avelino Gomez Memorial Award is a Canadian thoroughbred horse racing honor given annually to a jockey who is Canadian-born, Canadian-raised, or a regular in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sport...
.