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Jockey Killed In Memorial Day Crash

Posted at 5:01 AM, May 28, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-27 13:46:51-04

FLORENCE, Ky. (WCPO)– A horse racing community in Northern Kentucky is remembering an up-and-coming jockey who was killed in a car crash Monday morning.

Euclyn “Pede” Prentice Jr., 28, died after striking the side of a bus near the intersection of Houston Road and Hansel Avenue in Florence.

Police say no one in the bus was injured. First responders extricated him from his damaged car and took him to St. Elizabeth Hospital Florence, where he was pronounced dead.

Prentice won over 200 races at Belterra, and his friends believe he might have had hundreds more ahead.

“We won’t know the rest of the story for what we could have seen,” said Ed Meyer, a former track announcer. “He was absolutely energetic. He was everyone’s friend. He took the time to speak to every patron. If there were young patrons on the track, he’d sign goggles. He’d sign autographs. He’d come out and give candy.”

He got one more win, at least, Monday night. On the final race of the night, the winning jockey wore a saddle cap bearing one name: Pede.

The crash is under investigation, and anyone who witnessed it is asked to call the Florence Police Department at 859-647-5420.