“He’s very, very good at what he does.”
These words from owner and breeder Glenn Harvey were spoken often about horseman RICKY GRIFFITH who was a successful jockey, trainer, bloodstock agent, and a trailblazer for so many successful horsepeople who have made their way from Barbados to Canada.
Ricky passed away August 1 at the age of 58 after a long battle with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Condolences have been pouring in for the personable young man, his family and friends.
It was on a vacation to Canada with Anthony Husbands in the 1980s that essentially began the Ricky Griffith legacy so far away from his home country. In Barbados, the son of successful jockey Geoffrey Griffith became a top rider himself, winning the big races at the Garrison Savannah.
He rode his first races in North America in New York, and won his first race in 1985 on Make Mea Match at Belmont Park. When he moved his tack to Ontario to ride the Fort Erie, Greenwood, and Woodbine circuit, his first win came on the fittingly-named Rising Young Star.
“The effect that one person’s decision, the decision he made to leave Barbados and come to Canada, had such a butterfly effect,” said Chris Griffith, who also had a successful career as a jockey. “Think of the thousands of races Barbadians have won in Canada because of that decision.”
Following nearly 500 wins as a jockey in North America he then pursued his next love – training. He signed on as assistant to trainer Mark Casse, who was just building up his soon-to-be worldwide championship stable. Ricky was with Mark for 11 years before he took out his own trainer’s license.
“Ricky is a hard worker and a great horseman,” said Mark in 2009. “I’m excited to see him go out on his own and I am sure he will be very successful.”
As he went out on his own as a trainer in 2009, Ricky heaped praise on his former boss. “I had a great job with Mark, he is just an unbelievable guy to work with. Working with Mark for 11 years was like going to Harvard or Yale for the racing business.”
Ricky began with a stable of horses for Glenn Harvey, who opened the lavish Kelynack Farm in Burlington. For Harvey, and later co-owner Steven Duffield (who made up DebMar Stables), Ricky picked out young horses at sales and molded them into stakes stars. There was Dan the Tin Man, Savvy Hester, Sav, Just Got In, and so many more.
Certainly one of his proudest moments came when he bought a yearling filly for his son Kyle for $9,000 from the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. A leggy daughter of Rockport Harbor, the filly was named Ria Antonia and she won her second career race and picked up purse shares in two stakes races at Woodbine. The filly attracted the attention of American owner Ron Paolucci, who bought the filly off Ricky and Kyle and then watched her win the 2013 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) through disqualification. That $9,000 purchase by Ricky later sold for $1.8 million to Japanese interests as a broodmare prospect.
Ricky continued to train his stable of horses through last year despite ALS taking hold of his body. He appeared on the racing show Journeys this past May (off camera) with his daughters Natalie and Melissa who were caring for him as well as raising awareness of ALS. During the show Ricky, interviewed by his close friend Sean Hall and Leroy Trotman, was his usual, funny self (the show is linked below).
From his own talent in the saddle, his eye for an athletic racehorse, and the impact he has had on every horseman or woman who has come to Canada from Barbados to work in racing, Ricky will long be remembered by thousands of people in the sport.
Said his brother Chris, “He’s gone, but he is always going to be here.”
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