Columnist Ralph Siraco: Racing mourns loss of talented but troubled rider

Ralph Siraco

Monday, Dec. 4, 2000 | 11:39 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday, and his Southern California selections run Tuesday through Saturday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 800 S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas, NV 89107.

It was about 8:30 Sunday morning. I had just arrived at the studios of KRLV 1340-AM for my Sunday edition of the Race Day Las Vegas radio show.

While I was preparing material for the 9 a.m. broadcast, the call came.

It was jockey agent Harry Haceck. I was expecting the call. Harry was checking on arrangements for his Sunday arrival to attend the annual Jockey's Guild meetings today and tomorrow in town.

What I didn't expect was what Harry was about to tell me.

"Ralph, I have some bad news," Harry started.

"Can't make the trip?" was my inquisitive reply.

"No, I'm coming," he said.

"OK, then what, didn't get the suite with a view?"

There was an uneasy pause on the line, and then I knew what I was about to hear was something I didn't want to hear.

"Ralph, Chris Antley was found dead at his home this morning," was the chilling reply from a man who had once booked mounts for the talented young rider.

"What did you say?" I replied.

"Antley was murdered," was the sobering reply.

As the time clicked to the top of the hour, the shocking news prompted a multitude of questions -- all with the underlying theme of why?

The who, what, when and how are still being investigated. But, the why will remain after the rest of the questions are answered.

Harry agreed to stay on the line and report what he knew as the details were unfolding through the barn area of Hollywood Park. Not exactly what we had in mind to open a Sabbath show.

Well after the radio show ended at 10 a.m., the pieces of the puzzle were still being put together. There are key pieces still missing as of this writing.

We do know that it is a great loss -- to the sport and to his family, friends and fans.

Jockey Chris Antley, 34, was found dead at his Pasadena, Calif., home by a family friend at approximately 11 p.m. Saturday. Homicide detectives who were called to the scene reported Antley's death was believed to be caused by trauma to the head. No motive had been determined and the investigation continues.

I had the pleasure of watching the young, energetic and ambitious Antley while serving as the track announcer at Garden State Park in Cherry Hill, N.J., in 1985. Then, Antley was a talented apprentice rider and you could tell he was going to be "one of the ones." He won the riding title that year at the Garden.

Antley continued his mark on the sport through the 1980s. On Oct. 31, 1987, he became the first jockey to win nine races in one day when he took four races at Aqueduct then rode a five-bagger on the same night at the Meadowlands. But it was his streak of 64 straight days of winning at least one race per day at Aqueduct -- from Feb. 8 through May 1, 1989 -- that had New Yorkers comparing Antley to Joe DiMaggio.

The demons that plagued Antley throughout his career also took their toll. In December of 1988 he entered a drug treatment program, but returned to amass the amazing streak. In September of 1989 he surrendered his license after an apparent relapse. He rebounded with a productive 1990, recording 206 victories. In the fall of 1997 Antley again withdrew from the sport, citing weight problems that many thought were another smokescreen for substance abuse relapse.

And again, Antley rose above those demons to ride Charismatic to victories in the 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. After the Derby, an emotional Antley said, "This has more sentimental value than anything I've ever done in my career so far. I wish everybody in America could feel like I feel right now."

Antley was also credited with saving Charismatic's life. When Charismatic broke down after finishing third in the Belmont Stakes, it was Antley who attended the colt -- holding his leg up to keep the pressure off -- until help could arrive.

Antley took time off again in March, when he informed Santa Anita officials he needed to deal with unspecified personal problems.

While the racing world looks for answers and tries to deal with this latest tragedy, the question still echoes: Why?