Jockey Eddie Razo Jr., a well-known rider on the Midwest circuit, was found dead following the extinguishing of a garage fire in Long Grove, Ill. April 24. The death of the 46-year-old was confirmed by agent Ronnie Ebanks.
According to the PioneerLocal, the Lake County sheriff’s office investigators are working with the assistance of the state fire marshall to further investigate the incident.
Several residents of the 5100 block of North Arlington Heights Road reported hearing an explosion at the home Razo shared with his wife, Doreen, at 5123 N. Arlington Heights Road, and the manager of a nearby grocery store told the PioneerLocal he witnessed a blaze coming from the garage.
The Long Grove Fire Protection District and numerous other agencies promptly responded to the residence.
A neighbor told the PioneerLocal the Razos had been in their home about 30 years. They operated a horse stable on their property, he said, including boarding horses that raced at Arlington Park.
Razo was born in Mexico City in 1966. His family has been involved in the horse industry for several generations, as his grandfather, father, and two brothers have all served as trainers.
Razo began riding in his native country in 1980 and moved to the United States in 1986. He rode in several states, but spent the bulk of his time on the Illinois circuit at Hawthorne Race Course and Arlington Park.
In his career, Razo had 2,962 wins from 24,270 mounts, for earnings of $64,011,843.
In 2011, Razo scored 45 wins from 499 mounts, including victories in the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (gr. III) at Arlington aboard Rocket Twentyone and the Ohio Derby (gr. III) aboard Caleb’s Posse at Thistledown.
Among his other top winners were grade II winners It’s No Joke, Lord of the Game, Eye of the Tiger, and Shadowbdancing.
