Ralph Neves

Horseracing personalities infobox
name = Ralph P. Neves


caption =
occupation = Jockey
birthplace = Cape Cod, Massachusetts
United States
birth date = August 26, 1916
death date = July 7, 1995
career wins = 3,772
race = Sunset Handicap (1939, 1954, 1957)
Santa Anita Derby (1940)
San Felipe Stakes (1940, 1946)
San Carlos Handicap (1941, 1957)
Arlington Matron Handicap (1942)
California Breeders' Champion Stakes
(1946, 1950, 1951, 1952)
Santa Margarita Handicap (1947)
Santa Maria Handicap (1947)
Del Mar Handicap (1949)
Hollywood Gold Cup (1949)
San Pasqual Handicap (1949, 1950, 1953)
Santa Barbara Handicap (1953)
Hollywood Derby (1953, 1954, 1962)
Las Flores Handicap (1955)
Palos Verdes Handicap (1955)
Strub Stakes (1956)
Blue Grass Stakes (1957)
Santa Anita Handicap (1957)
San Vicente Stakes (1958)
San Juan Capistrano Handicap (1959)
San Marcos Stakes (1960)
Malibu Stakes (1962)
awards = George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award (1954)
honours = United States Racing Hall of Fame (1960)
Washington Racing Hall of Fame (2003)
horses = Native Diver, Corn Husker, Round Table
updated = August 11, 2008

Ralph P. Neves (August 26, 1916 - July 7, 1995) was a American Hall of Fame jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. Born in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Neves won 3,772 races, including 173 stakes, and was elected to the Racing Hall of Fame in 1960.cite web |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE7D81F3AF933A25754C0A963958260 |title= Ralph Neves, 78, Hall of Fame Jockey|accessdate=2008-08-01 |work=The New York Times |date=July 10, 1995 ] His long career was interrupted only by several injuries and service in the United States Army Cavalry during World War II; a serious back injury suffered in the war bothered him during the rest of his career.cite web |url=http://www.washingtonthoroughbred.com/WaTbStats/HOF_Neves.htm |title=The Portuguese pepperpot |accessdate=2008-08-01 |author=Mary Bartz |date=November 2003 |work=Washington Thoroughbred ] He retired in 1964.

In the early part of his career Neves rode at Santa Anita Park and Longacres Racetrack. By the mid-1930s, he was considered one of the top west coast riders, known for his cocky self-confidence.

Death and Resurrection

He is best known for an incident at Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo, California on May 8, 1936. After being thrown from his horse, Flanakins, he was pronounced dead and brought to the mortuary, where he was given a shot of adrenaline to the heart. Neves made it back to the racetrack and demanded to be allowed to ride (he was not permitted to do so until the next day).

The story has been told many times since, familiar to many jockeys, and as a result has gathered a number of variations. Two different doctors have been said to have given the key injection in two different places, and even Neves's Hall of Fame plaque states incorrectly that he won five races the following day.cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20030417/ai_n14547883 |title= Ghost rider returns to Bay Meadows|accessdate=2008-08-01 |author= Carl Steward |work=Oakland Tribune |date= April 17, 2003] The incident was covered extensively in local newspapers at the time; the "San Francisco Examiner" is particularly remembered for the headline "Neves, Called Dead in Fall, Denies It."

After his fall, new safety regulations were instituted. Nevertheless, Neves suffered several more injuries in falls, including vision problems, and required brain surgery in 1959. Still known for his individualistic style, he was suspended frequently throughout his career, including a five-day suspension for "careless riding" in 1961, after his Hall of Fame induction. [cite news |title=Neves Grounded Five Days |work=New York Times |publisher=proquest.com |date= October 26, 1961|accessdate=2008-08-01 ] Among his other accomplishmennts, Ralph Neves rode six winners on October 24, 1961 at Bay Meadows Racetrack. In 1954 he was voted the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. In addition to his induction in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, he was elected to the Washington Racing Hall of Fame. [http://www.washingtonthoroughbred.com/WaTbStats/HOF_Neves.htm]

At the time of his retirement in mid-1963 he was one of only eight riders with at least 3000 wins. [cite news |first=Michael |last=Strauss |title=Sunrise Flight is a 6-5 Favorite |work=New York Times |publisher=proquest.com |date= November 28, 1964 |accessdate=2008-08-01 ]

Ralph Neves was living in San Marcos, California at the time of his death in 1995.

References

External links

* [http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/jockey.asp?ID=206 Career summary] , National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
* [http://baymeadows.com/vuhistory.php?active_main=0%26active_sub=1 Bay Meadows Racetrack official webite history - "The death and resurrection of Ralph Neves"]