E. J. Perrodin decides to bid good bye to being a jockey and retires at fifty-five
On Friday, 3rd February, the fifty-five-year-old jockey, Elvis Joseph Perrodin refused to take up the ride, The Reverend James, and informed the Fair Grounds officials that he will no longer be saddling any more horses.
“It’s kind of hard now, so I figured it was time,’’ he said Saturday.
His performance in the recent months has not satisfied him, as he missed out on seven rides, failing to race any of them to victory and an additional 36 remained winless under him at the Fair Grounds. The progress that had vanished into thin air compelled, Perrodin to seriously consider retirement.
“Things didn’t happen the way I hoped, really, this meet,” he said.
The highest prize money that Perrodin was successful in bagging was when he rode, Candid Glen, and won $650,000 in the Explosive Bid Handicap in 2003 at Fair Grounds.
Tee Joe is the nick name for Elvis Joseph Perrodin. His career started in 1975, included 21, 370 mounts out of which Perrodin raced 3, 083 to victory. Though more than thirty-five years of riding, Perrodin’s fundamental achievement were six races that he won in a single meet on 18th November 1979 at Fair Grounds. It is a record that right now is shared by eight jockeys.
Asked how he felt about retiring, Perrodin said: “I have mixed feelings. I’ve got a weird feeling right now.”
Fellow jockey Corey Lanerie commented about the retired rider, Perrodin:
“Tee Joe was a really good rider, he was a great grass rider.’’
It was in December, 2008, that Perrodin posted his 3,000 success. The jockey has been a gift for horse racing industry as a whole, despite encountering several injuries, and suffering through a rather critical injury towards the end of 2007, it did not break down his spirit and passion for racing.
He plans to serve as a jockey agent, starting during the summer at Louisiana Downs.
Before the advent of others turning him down for riding their horses, he took a step that was important and of course difficult to make. However his services will still stay attached to the horse racing industry even if it is in the form of a jockey agent.
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