Page 4 - September 2005 The Game

4 The Game, September 2005 Your Thoroughbred Racing Community Newspaper
Three Racetrack Lives Remembered
There’s never been one like him and there will never be one like again. You couldn’t ever find another J.C Meyer. He knew everybody’s horses; he read everything. He was a human sponge for horse racing. He absorbed everything. He raced everywhere. He’s been everywhere. He’s run in the Derby and the Preakness. He’s run in every big race at North America. He worked right up until he went into the hospital.”
Ray Sabourin, Jockey:
“Jerry was the guy who gave me my start as a rider. He was like a second dad to me. He took me under his wing and brought me along. He told me you need to know more about horses than just rid- ing. He wanted me to learn every aspect of the business. From a work ethic stand- point, he worked harder than anyone.
Probably the best horse I was on for him was Fast Gold and another called Smart N Slick. He was a great guy. One of the funny things I remember is that he’d come up with a word every day, like irrelevant and plethora. He’d say, ‘Do you know what a cornucopia is?’ Or he’d say, ‘I need a millionaire philanthropist to go to the sale with’. If you came up with a new one for him, he’d say, ‘Spell it!’
He had a photogenic mind. He could see a horse once, and 5 years later he’d know the horses‚ breeding up and down and tell you where he’d first seen it.
If anyone was a true lover of the game and a great guy to be in the business, it was him.”
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By Peter Gross
With the loss this summer of long time horsemen George ‘Buddy’ Carter, Jerry (J.C.) Meyer and James Regan, a significant chunk of racing history now exists only in the thoughts of the family and friends of these men. The Game has assembled the following comments as a way of saluting the memories of three men who made great friends and had a lasting impact on the sport.
George ‘Buddy’ Carter (1929-2005)
Kenny Zweig, Jockey’s Agent:
“Buddy was a good horseman and great person. You couldn’t find anyone to say anything bad about him - a really fine person. When I started on the track he had a full stable of 30 horses. At the end he had four horses. He was looking after them himself. He did it because he enjoyed it, not because he needed the money.” Carrie Carter, Buddy’s daughter-in-law:
“He was married to Betty for 54 years. He was the father of six and the perfect grandfather. He had 6 grandchildren and a great-grandson and one step-granddaugh- ter. Buddy would love to talk about the cost of gas. He would call me up and say, ‘Car - did you see the price of gas today?’
If I ever had a question about anything to do with the horses I was training, he was the man to go to. He did things the old fashioned way. Instead of using needles to cure a horse, he would make up an oatmeal poultice and wrap the horse’s leg with it.”
Doug Carter, Buddy’s son:
“I called my dad Buddy. That’s just the way it was. We celebrated the wins together, we laughed together and we went down with the losses together.
I worked for him for over 30 years. He was tough. He made sure everything was done right with the horses and when you messed up, he let you know.
He always tried to save his owners a buck by buying cheaper feed, and he’d bring it to the track himself. If they were paying $4.50 at the track for straw, he’d find it for $1.50.
Some of his best horses were Prize Jive, Sinister Spinster, Lady Rhythm, Nurso, Top Call and Mr. Jive - that was the best one. That’s all he had in his life was the horses. Near the end he just had 3 or 4 because he didn’t want to sit at home. He’d be up at 3 in the morning and drive to Toronto from Brantford 7 days a week.” Betty Carter, wife for 53 years:
“When I was ten years old, my dad picked Buddy up. He used to hitchhike from Cainesville, a mile and half into Brantford to go to the movies. He was five years older than I was. When I was 15 or 16, I started dating him. He was a very private person and I have a weird sense of humour and somehow that all came together for a lovely 53 years.
Before he passed away, he was saying that we had some real good times and he was a good provider, always a responsible
A foal gets playful with Buddy Carter in this old photo.
guy. When he was in his twenties he cut a few wild carpets. He loved to dance, but after we had children, he became responsible and settled down, and there was nothing we ever wanted.
He was at Woodbine on the fourth of July and he went into hospital on the fifth. You won’t believe this, but you want to
know what I miss the most?
I complained about it all the time - his
bloody snoring. Now the house is too quiet.”
Jerry J.C. Meyer (1927-2005) Kenny Zweig, Jockey’s Agent:
“J.C. Meyer - The Human Racing Encyclopaedia. He is irreplaceable.
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