René R. Douglas (born March 3, 1967, in Panama City, Panama) is a former

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

Thoroughbred racing. Born into a horse racing family, after attending jockey school Douglas rode in his native Panama for a year and a half before moving to the United States in 1983. His first major win came in 1989 in the prestigious Washington, D.C. International. In 1996, he rode

Editor's Note Editor's Note (April 26, 1993 - December 12, 2022) was an American thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by 1992 U.S. Champion 2 YO Colt Forty Niner, who in turn was a son of Champion sire Mr. Prospector and out of the mare Beware Of The Cat. ...

to victory in the

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

, the third leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series. René Douglas won three riding titles at

Calder Race Course Calder Casino is a casino located in Miami Gardens, Florida. It includes slots, electronic table games, and bingo. The casino opened in 2010 and features a gaming floor with 1,100 slot machines, including video poker, as well as electronic r ...

and Hialeah Park Race Track and a record four in a row from 2001 through 2004 at Arlington Park. He won seven races on a single card at Arlington Park on July 24, 2003, and twice won six on a single card at Calder Race Course. In the richest win of his career, Rene Douglas captured the 2006

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a -mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt (although the distance has varied, depending on the configuration of the host track) for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the Uni ...

aboard Dreaming of Anna. Competing in the May 23, 2009

Arlington Matron Handicap The Matron Stakes is an American Grade III flat horse race for Thoroughbred fillies and mares, aged three years and upward. Raced over a distance of 9 furlongs on the dirt at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois every spring. It currentl ...

at Arlington Park, Douglas's horse, Born to Be, clipped heels with the fading pacesetter Boudoir and fell forward and flipped on to her back, crushing Douglas underneath. Jockey

Jamie Theriot Jamie Theriot (born January 30, 1979 in Arnaudville, Louisiana) is an American former jockey. The son of Thoroughbred horse trainer Harold Theriot, he is a nephew of jockey Larry Melancon. Theriot, who began riding on bush tracks in his native L ...

's horse, Sky Mom, was disqualified by the stewards for causing the accident. Douglas remained pinned under Born to Be and had to be extricated by track personnel. Born to Be was later euthanized and Theriot was suspended for 30 days by the Illinois Racing Board for his role in the accident. The injuries left Rene Douglas paralyzed from the waist down. He uses a wheelchair, and after spinal surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation, he has led an active life since and remains involved in racing as an owner.

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, Rene 1967 births Living people American jockeys Panamanian jockeys People with paraplegia Sportspeople from Panama City Panamanian emigrants to the United States Panamanian people with disabilities American disabled sportspeople