Legendary Panamanian jockey Manuel Manny Ycaza died

Manuel Manny Ycaza, member of the Hall of Fame and winner of the 1964 Belmont Stakes, who paved the way for Latin American riders in the United States, died at 80 years old.

Ycaza died Monday of pneumonia and sepsis at a hospital in Forest Hills, New York, his wife Jeanne de Ycaza said. He indicated that Ycaza was admitted the day before, after the couple went out for a walk.

He won 2,367 races in 10,561 mounts and rode purely acclaimed bloods like Ack Ack, Damascus, Dr. Fager and Sword Dancer. He won the 1964 Belmont with Quadrangle, ruining Northern Crown’s Triple Crown attempt. It was his only victory in a Triple Crown race.

He finished second in the Preakness of 1962 aboard Ridan. A famous photograph shows Ycaza fighting with rider John Rotz, riding the eventual winner Greek Money, in the final stretch of the race. Ycaza finished second with Never Bend in the Kentucky Derby of 1963.

He became the first Latin American rider to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of horse racing in 1977.