NEWS
Prominent New York trainer Jose Martin dies
Posted: Saturday, November 25, 2006
Jose Martin, who trained three champions and was a member of a prominent New York racing family, died on November 22 after a lengthy bout with lung cancer. He was 63.
Martin was the son of Racing Hall of Fame trainer Frank "Pancho" Martin. He was also the father of trainer Carlos Martin.
"He was a great father and a great friend," Carlos Martin said. "He was diagnosed with cancer about five years ago, and he fought it hard. About six months ago, it came back."
Martin trained 1977 champion two-year-old filly Lakeville Miss, 1981 champion three-year-old filly Wayward Lass, and Groovy, the 1987 champion sprinter. Since 1976, horses he trained earned $17,107,904 while earning 751 wins, including 33 graded stakes victories.
"He was a great trainer," Carlos Martin said. "He trained three champions—Groovy, Lakeville Miss, and Wayward Lass. I learned a lot from him."
Born in Havana, Cuba, Martin followed his father to the United States when he was 17 years old and began working for him in 1961. He started training on his own in 1967.
Carlos Martin said a small, private ceremony will be held in memory of his father.
"It will just be us, the family," Carlos Martin said. "He was a very private person. He didn't want any kind of circus."
