The Thoroughbred’s heart beat steadily inside racer Deshawn Parker.
Recalling the endless days at racecourses like Thistledown and Belterra Park Amusement & Game Center along with his father, Daryl, who worked in a variety of positions, it was an exhilaration for Parker – which ultimately solidified his own career.
“When I was a kid, he was a weight salesman, so I hung out in the buskers’ rooms a lot and watched what it was like, and I really loved it,” Parker said of his father. himself, who also worked as a gymnast and chariot dealer.
“Every summer, no matter what track he was at, I would hang out and hang out with him and be on the track. Even when he was the manager, I was in the manager’s stands. when I was a kid. I’ve seen so many different parts of the business.”
Standing at 5’11”, Parker surpassed physical odds when he decided to become a jockey, and he never imagined his career would span 34 years.
“I’m only planning to ride like two or three races because I’m tall and I’m light enough to be able to do the weight at the same time (at the same time,” Parker said. “I said, ‘I’ll get it out of my system.’ I really wanted to be a baseball player, but I was never really big.
“Once I start riding, it’s one of those thrills you just can’t get out of your head and you want to keep doing it, especially if you can.”
Deshawn Parker at Horseshoe Indianapolis
With encouragement from his father and self-discipline to drive, Parker, 51, started his career in 1988 at Thistledown and later moved to Mountaineer Casino Resort & Racetrack in West Virginia.
Overcoming self-doubt was a challenge, but Parker also received backlash from industry insiders, who felt his size made him less likely to sustain a racing career.
“I struggled for a while with the trainers because you were too tall and when they got close to you (they said), ‘You’re too tall to be a jockey.’ I think that motivated me even more to want to be that person,” Parker said. “The more they tell me I can’t do it, the more I want to prove them wrong. That’s the main thing.
“It took me a while to get started. I didn’t just start winning races and things like that. I rode maybe 60 or 70 before breaking my maidenhood. After the first one, the second came very quickly after that.”
Ignoring the criticism, Parker got to work.
Though he’s not one to rest on his laurels, the Ohio-born man can now look back on titles that include becoming the Mountaineer’s all-time top racer, the Grand Prix winner. commemorating George Woolf in 2021 and the most victorious African-American driver in history with nearly 6,000 victories, a milestone he is rapidly approaching.
Deshawn Parker aboard the Romantic Victory towed away to win the Shantel Lanerie Memorial Stock at Fair Grounds
Trainer Jeff Greenhill recalls meeting Parker at the Mountaineer and putting him on horseback.
“I met him when he was the king of Mountaineer Park. He was the top racer there when Billy Johnson had his book for years,” Greenhill said. “Although I’m not a very tall guy, I’m usually taller than most riders. But Deshawn is probably an inch taller than me. But he can fold on a horse with the best of the best. among them.
“I don’t know how he does it. He’s dedicated enough to stay fit and can definitely get off his horse. The first time I saw him, I thought he was taller than the average person, but that didn’t stop him. get him to win a whole bunch of races for me.”
Parker’s journey to success wasn’t just difficult because of his size.
While African Americans used to be on racetracks, these numbers have dwindled in recent years. Parker believes this change is due to a lack of accessibility, which he says includes people of all races.
“In the United States, we’re taking our kids from the back. Many tracks don’t even allow kids in the back, so it’s harder for a kid growing up wanting to be in the back or even in the back. on the track because they’re immature in it,” Parker said. “For me, I’ve been behind since I was a kid, so that’s always been something I’ve wanted to do.
“Now I feel like the white riders are a minority in horse racing because they’re all Hispanic (jockeys.) You’re getting more and more black riders out there, but more and more. there are a lot of Hispanic drivers dominating… I think it’s because they go to schools in their own country and they were born wanting to do it… I think that’s why we’re doing it. Losing a lot of Americans in this industry right now.”
While he may not be accompanied by many African-Americans participating on a daily basis, Parker’s influence has been a major factor for others in the game to find.
“I understand Kendrick (Carmouche) and all those people call me, CJ McMahon, (those) like that. They’re all good boys and great racers,” Parker said. “They’re going to be the stars of the game; it’s just a little bit more difficult for us to move forward.
“Right now, the Ortiz (native Puerto Rican) brothers are dominating. I love Kendrick, he’s out there in New York and fighting them and keeping his own. That’s good for him. and that’s good for African-American racers.”
Parker says that when young drivers rely on him for support, he often calls for support.
“I also call them, when I need help and need some relief… You’re always learning in this game,” he said. “You never perfect anything. You always want to tell people about ‘Do you think I did this wrong, I did it wrong?’ Even though we race against each other, we still try to help each other. “
Parker’s father, who passed away in March 2021 after a battle with cancer, remains with him in spirit.
“I understood everything he told me,” said the runner. “He always called me ‘Shawn boy.’ Now wanting to hear it makes me cry so many times. I think about him every day. The times I’m driving on the road and see something that reminds me of him, I start to cry.
“He’s one of those guys that has helped people on the track. That’s something you can ask anyone out there, he’s a great manager when he doesn’t try to penalize you for anything. whatever, he’s trying to help and support you. He did that to me too.”
DeShawn and Daryl Parker
The late manager was the recipient of the 2021 Pete Pederson Award, given by the Racing Officials Recognition Program to individuals who demonstrated professionalism, integrity and compassion. Parker will accept the award in honor of his father on June 25 at Thistledown.
Greenhill, who knew Parker’s father, spoke emotionally about the dear manager.
“His father is happy to work as a racing official,” he said. “I hated to see him leave us so soon… In fact, they had a race at Belterra in honor of his father and I had to meet some of his other relatives and tell They told me how I thought of Mr. Parker, and then I won the next race.
“If they haven’t left yet, I’ll take them back to the winners’ circle to take a picture with them. It’s called the Daryl Parker Memorial.”
Parker came in at 5,997 winning, with the numbers 5,995 and 5,996 coming from Greenhill’s stable.
“It’s funny because a lot of people will ask how many races I’ve won and I never know the amount because I never really wanted to,” Parker said. “You put a lot of pressure on yourself then. Now I’m getting close and people are telling me (going to hit 6,000). I know for sure now.”
As Parker is about to reach a milestone that not many can say they have reached, he is looking ahead to his next project, which looks set to reflect the strategy his father has chosen. .
“I’ll keep riding until I don’t enjoy it anymore. Then I want to be a manager and follow in my father’s footsteps,” he said. “I learned a lot from him that way, so I wanted to go out and do things for people and help people. I did like when I was in the manager’s stands, see ( the horses) work, it’s fun. I know there’s a lot of work involved with it, but I’ve enjoyed it. That’s my plan.”
