GOLDEN GLIMPSES #137

October 20, 1998

By ED GOLDEN

A year ago, one of racing’s living legends was giving serious consideration to moving his base of operations from Southern California to the Bay Area.

It was like Babe Ruth contemplating moving from the Yankees to the St. Louis Browns.

But that’s how bad things were for Laffit Pincay Jr. Racing’s winningest active rider, in steadfast pursuit of Bill Shoemaker’s record 8,833 career wins, Pincay won only two races in 27 days during the 1997 Oak Tree meet, an embarrassing figure for any jockey, let alone one of Pincay’s lofty stature.

What a difference a year makes.

The Hall of Fame rider, who will be 52 on Dec. 29, had won 11 races through the first 14 days of the current Oak Tree meet and, voila, he was the leader rider! Day by day, Pincay is drawing closer to Shoemaker’s record. Pincay had 8,648 wins through Oct. 16, 185 behind Shoe. At his present pace, Pincay should reach Shoemaker’s mark in the year 2000.

But numbers aside, Pincay is the same ingratiating person he was a year ago. His demeanor, dedication and motivation are unflagging. His presence is humble yet confident. Pincay’s fans and peers alike revere his laudatory traits.

Win, lose or dead-heat, Pincay’s regimen, emotionally and physically, does not waver. He stays the course, and it is his love of the game that drives him. He is not hanging around, like an over-the-hill Willie Mays. Make no mistake, Laffit Pincay Jr. can still ride with the best of them.

With little deviation, he has lived on a 600-carlorie per day diet for two decades in order to maintain his riding weight of 117 pounds.

"The difference between Laffit and Shoe," said Bobby Marcus, a jockeys’ valet long on seniority, "is that Shoe never had to diet a day in his life. He must have retired a dozen valets who got tired just carrying the lead so he could make his riding weight."

Clerk of Scales Charlie McCaul never has to worry about Pincay being late to the jocks’ room. This day was typical. As he sat near his cubicle in his robe and his slippers, Pincay wore a look of perpetual contentment on his leathery yet handsome face while he poured over the Racing Form.

It was a full three hours before his first ride, in the fourth race.

"You have to be consistent in a tough job," Pincay said, evaluating how he has at long last reached this placid plateau. "We all know it’s tough. It’s not easy, even when you’re winning. Showing up every day and riding all kinds of horses and being consistent is a quality I have that many people respect."

Not unlike Shoemaker.

"Shoe definitely has been an influence on me, although I’ve always been a humble kind of person," Pincay said. "Thank God, success never went to my head, just like it didn’t with Shoemaker. He was a very humble guy and we understand the ups and downs of the game. We try to stay composed.

"For me, it was harder at the beginning of my career because I was constantly fighting a weight problem and I was ignorant about a lot of things. I was extremely intense and I wasn’t as worldly as I am now. Back then, I was always in a bad mood, especially after I lost a race.

"It took me a while to realize you cannot be a winner all the time. But people change. I did. I learned. When you’re an apprentice, you expect to win all the time. You put a lot of pressure on yourself, and when things aren’t going the way you want, you get upset. I used to be that way. Through the years, I realized you can’t expect to win all the time and you have to take the good with the bad."

Through several major injuries, 12 broken collar bones, and the suicide of his first wife, Pincay’s competitive juices have never waned. "I’m still very competitive," said Pincay, who at age 15 got his first job as an unpaid groom and hot walker. He learned to ride in his spare time.

"A lot of people think I don’t mind losing," said Pincay, the son of a jockey. "But that’s not true. Nobody likes to lose and I hate it when I lose and I hate to get beat. But I take it and I take it like a man. Some people think because my attitude is different now that I don’t care about winning or losing, but I sure do. I just can’t worry about it all day long."

It’s assumed Pincay will retire once he surpasses Shoe’s mark. But that’s not set in granite.

"I will be thinking about retiring (once I break the record)," Pincay said. "But I won’t say that I will retire for sure. It all depends on how I feel when that time comes. If I’m feeling good and I have nothing else to do, who knows?"

When Pincay does retire, one would think the first thing he’d do would wolf down a slice of chocolate cake, or toss a juicy filet mignon on the barbecue. "Even though I like sweets," Pincay said, "when that day comes, I would like to eat food that contains a little bit of oil, and sauces and salt--things that are very tasty, like chicken and rice."

For the present, however, Pincay can only savor such tastes in his imagination.

For a while longer, he must live in his regimented Camelot, a world in which he lives to ride and rides to live.

EXPELLED--Turf specialist started new winning streak. Go along for the ride.

JOY TO YOU AND ME--Ran too good to lose against heavy favorite in $40,000 maiden test. Tab at a mile or longer.

NEVER MISS--Broke maiden in manner which suggests she can win again against tougher.

OUR GOLDEN PROMISE--Overdue mare showed courage on inside, sitting on win at juicy payoff if properly spotted on turf.

THE HOMESTRETCH: Add News You Can Bet On: We were right on target last week when we wrote that Worldly Manner was sold to Sheikh Mohammad, would train in Dubai for the Kentucky Derby and would miss the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. More News You Can Bet On: In the Aug. 4-10 editions of Gaming Today, after seeing Sharp Cat win her 1998 debut at Del Mar, we wrote: "Classy filly has the look of a champion. Mature miss will continue to pile up stakes wins for new trainer Wally Dollase." Sharp Cat has won all three starts since, including an 11-length romp in the Beldame, and needs only to win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff to secure the older filly crown . . . Petty differences?: According to the Daily Racing Form, malnourished-looking actress Lori Petty has been given the pink slip and will not be used in 1999 commercials by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association.

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