December 25, 2024

Racing is a family affair for Thorpe

Last updated: 4/26/15 5:04 PM











Avon and Darius Thorpe
(Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)




Assistant trainer Avon Thorpe has described his 2 1/2 decades
of working in several roles for recently elected Hall of Fame horseman King Leatherbury
as a family affair.

Never was that more true than on January 15,
when Thorpe’s 19-year-old nephew, Darius, won his first professional race aboard
the Leatherbury-owned and trained Rainbowappears (Mizzen Mast) at Laurel Park.

Being his uncle is a mere technicality. Thorpe
has raised Darius from a young age since his father died. Their relationship is
clearly seen and more accurately described as father and son. 

“I didn’t adopt him, but I raised him. He’s always called me ‘Pops,'” Thorpe
said. “He’s my son now.”

“He’s been the biggest help that I could ever
get,” Darius Thorpe said. “He exposed my face to people that he knew to give me
a better shot and just show what I can do, having seen me grow up and seeing my
improvement. It makes me feel blessed.” 

Avon Thorpe was 18 when he started working for
the now 82-year-old Leatherbury as a hotwalker at Pimlico. Now 42, Thorpe
steadily rose through the ranks of the barn, now based at Laurel Park, to become
Leatherbury’s trusted, hands-on assistant.



“I didn’t even know him. It was a case of just
hiring him and him lasting and doing a good job,” Leatherbury said. “Avon kind
of graduated and worked his way up into that position. He does a real good job.
He’s on top of everything and very knowledgeable. He keeps people straight.”

Thorpe said he’s never considered going out on his own, and is content to
work with the Mid-Atlantic legend who ranks fourth all-time in wins and was
announced April 20 as a member of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of
Fame’s Class of 2015 — his first year on the ballot.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. King gave me an opportunity to learn a
lot and he lets you pretty much use your own judgment on a lot of things where a
lot of other trainers probably won’t do that. He treats me like a son,” Thorpe
said. “I stayed because I saw an opportunity. It was my time, and I never looked
back. I don’t plan on leaving.”

Thorpe is now passing that knowledge down to Darius, who has been an eager
student from the time he was young.

“At eight-years old he said, ‘I want to be a
jockey.’ He kept saying it and I told him, ‘Boy, you’re going to get too big,'”
Thorpe said. “At eight-years old he was in the tack room, just riding a saddle on
the sawhorse the saddle sits on. When he got in high school, I got him an Equicizer
so he could practice. All day and all night he was on that horse. I had to tell
him to go to bed.

“He paid attention a lot. He looked at every
race everywhere. He watched the good riders. He stuck with it, and it means so
much,” Thorpe continued. “That’s what he loves. That’s what he wanted to
be, and I’m going to stand behind him 100 percent. He’s still going to college
to have something to fall back on if he gets too heavy or whatever. I just like
to let him live his life. I’m doing what I want to do and what I love, and I
want him to do the same.”

Darius Thorpe juggles studying architecture at
Ann Arundel Community College with riding. He has two wins, three seconds and
four thirds at Pimlico’s spring meet which opened April 2 after going 61-2-6-8
during the winter session at Laurel Park that ran January 1 to March 29.

“Pretty much since I’ve been little I’ve been
around the track. I always found a comfort zone being around horses, so I knew I
wanted to do this for a long time,” he said. “It’s been better than I expected.
It’s picking up.”

An apprentice currently riding with a 10-pound
weight allowance, Thorpe’s first win came as an amateur last year before
launching his professional career in the fall at Laurel Park. Getting his first
pro win for his father and Team Leatherbury made it extra special.

“It made me feel blessed to know that I had the chance to win for a Hall of
Famer who gave me a shot on a good horse. Everything just played out right,” he
said. “I just want to stay humble, always listen and follow directions and be
the best rider I can be for as long as I do this.”

Thorpe won the first race of the current
Preakness Meet at Pimlico by a nose aboard Gold Hill (State City), who paid $29, and
piloted $28.20
winner Sizzling Lassie (In Excess) on the Federico Tesio undercard April 18 for
owner-trainer Robert Gamber.

“I heard a good report on him when he won that
race. Eric Camacho, who’s a friend of mine and a good rider, said he switched
sticks good and looked good on a horse,” Leatherbury said. “That’s what he’s got
to do, just get more experience. The more you do something, if you’re good
enough, you’re going to benefit from it.”



Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires.com