NEWS
Mileposts: Father and son blaze their own paths while following racing dreams
Posted: Saturday, November 22, 2003
Deshawn Parker's career might not have been possible were it not for his father
Few would have blamed Deshawn Parker if he had given into the excuses readily available to him 15 years ago and let the dream he had harbored since childhood quietly fade away.
Along with trying to convince trainers to look past his rangy 5'10" frame when deciding which jockey would earn the mount on their horses, Parker had the pressure of following in the footsteps of a man who already had carved out his own bit of racing history. Much like his father before him, Parker was not about to let obstacles keep him from emerging with a formidable identity all his own.
When Mountaineer Park recently ended its 2003 summer meet, Parker again proved his doubters wrong by riding 86 winners, 24 more than his nearest rival, to secure his third riding title in the track's past four meets. Through November 4, the 32-year-old Cincinnati native had ridden 1,582 career winners, and his mounts had amassed $13,443,854 in earnings.
Anytime Parker reflects on his success, he is quick to point out that his career might not have been possible were it not for his father, Darryl Parker. The elder Parker, who currently works for the Ohio Racing Commission, has experienced virtually every facet of racing since 1964 and in '86 became the first African-American steward in racing history when he took up the position at Thistledown.
"Basically, the reason I'm riding today is because of him," Deshawn Parker said. "I always hung around him when he was a pony boy, and when he became clerk of scales in Cleveland, I got to sit in the jockeys' room and I just loved it. He's definitely my main influence."
Despite the elder Parker's status in the industry, Deshawn Parker found out early on that his father's stature was often tougher to overcome than perceptions of his own riding ability.
"It was a struggle because I was always Darryl's son," Parker said. "One year, he took my book at Turfway Park and he was probably the worst agent I've ever had. I think people were afraid to put me on their horses because my father was a steward, so it was really tough for me to ride there."
Parker eventually became established as one of the most reliable riders on the circuit, but it was not until 2002 that he could truly claim breakout status. In addition to collecting his first riding title at Mountaineer, Parker rode 200 winners, a total that placed him 36th nationally.
"That was probably the best thing that's happened to me in my career because, when I first started out, no one thought I'd still be riding now," Parker said. "Plus, I'm one of those people where the more you tell me I can't do something, it just makes me want to do it more."
Parker was able to put up those career-best numbers despite dealing with the death of his mother in November 2001.
"Last year was a banner year for him, which was amazing all things considered," Darryl Parker said. "Everyone is so shocked when they first see him because he's so tall, but to watch how he folds down and lays down on a horse, he's just a natural."
Deshawn Parker has toyed with the idea of testing his skills against some of the tougher jockey colonies in the United States and recently spent the weekend of November 8 in Jamaica to ride on its championship day program.
"I'm a proud father, not because of his riding, but because he's just a wonderful son," Darryl Parker said. "The main thing I instilled in him is to be a good person in the business, and everyone says how likable he is. Now, when I go to the track, instead of 'Hi, Mr. Parker,' I get, 'You're Deshawn's father?' "--Alicia Wincze
