Veteran Trainer Cartwright Retires

• Email
• Print
• Tweet

Edited Maryland Jockey Club report
Trainer Ronald Cartwright saddled his last horse when the 75-year-old conditioner sent out Stone Prince to a ninth place finish in the fifth race Monday at Laurel Park.

A former top steeplechase rider, Cartwright turned to training in the early 1960's first as an assistant to Mike Freeman before heading out on his own prior to the end of the decade. During the 1990's he finished in the top 15 of the state's trainer standings seven times.

"I've been in this for 60 years and will miss it," said Cartwright. "It has been a great run. I've had a really good life and enjoyed this very much. I had a lot of nice horses and had a good time."

Cartwright's most famous charge was Mz. Zill Bear, who won 15 of 41 starts, including 10 added money scores. The daughter of Salutely won stakes races in Maryland for five consecutive years (1992-1996) and captured the Maryland Million Ladies three consecutive years ('93-94-95).

Cartwright saddled six Maryland Million winners and won three races in 1993, including the Classic with Forry Cow How. He led the state in stakes wins that year with 10.

Other multiple stakes winners he conditioned included graded stakes winner Miss Slewpy, Redcall, Cormorant's Flight, Palliser Bay, Winter Leaf and Irish Colony, whom he guided from a low-level claimer to added money winner in 2003.

Cartwright won 16 races at Laurel Park and Pimlico this year, including a pair of added-money victories. He visited the winners' circle nearly 850 times in his career.

• Email
• Print
• Tweet