Young Jockey's Promising Career Cut Short by Tragic Death at 19
Tragedy has struck the world of horse racing with the sudden and shocking death of 19-year-old apprentice jockey Tommie Jakes. The talented young rider, who had already notched up an impressive 59 winners in just three years on the Flat in Britain, was found dead at his home near Newmarket on Thursday.
Jakes' death has sent shockwaves through the racing community, with many of his colleagues and trainers paying tribute to his skills, kind personality, and immense potential. The Professional Jockeys Association and Injured Jockeys Fund have announced the news, describing him as a "much-loved son and brother" whose family are now grieving at this terrible time.
In a statement, George Boughey Racing, where Jakes was an integral member of the team, said: "We are heartbroken by the news that our apprentice jockey Tommie Jakes has passed away. He was not only a hugely talented young rider with so much to look forward to, but an incredibly kind and hard-working young man."
Trainer Brian Meehan, who provided Jakes with three winners this year, described him as "a regular at the yard" and a "lovely lad". The British Horseracing Authority's acting chief executive Brant Dunshea said: "We are devastated to hear the news about Tommie. He was a talented young rider with the world at his feet, and had earned great praise from trainers for his horsemanship and attitude in just the last few months."
In the wake of Jakes' death, there will be marks of respect at Chelmsford and Southwell on Thursday and at racecourses across Britain on Friday. The racing community is coming together to support those close to the young rider who had so much promise and potential.
As news of Jakes' passing spreads, tributes are pouring in from across the industry, celebrating his life, talent, and kind spirit. His family's request for privacy at this difficult time has been respected, but it is clear that the world of horse racing will be forever changed by his tragic loss.
Tragedy has struck the world of horse racing with the sudden and shocking death of 19-year-old apprentice jockey Tommie Jakes. The talented young rider, who had already notched up an impressive 59 winners in just three years on the Flat in Britain, was found dead at his home near Newmarket on Thursday.
Jakes' death has sent shockwaves through the racing community, with many of his colleagues and trainers paying tribute to his skills, kind personality, and immense potential. The Professional Jockeys Association and Injured Jockeys Fund have announced the news, describing him as a "much-loved son and brother" whose family are now grieving at this terrible time.
In a statement, George Boughey Racing, where Jakes was an integral member of the team, said: "We are heartbroken by the news that our apprentice jockey Tommie Jakes has passed away. He was not only a hugely talented young rider with so much to look forward to, but an incredibly kind and hard-working young man."
Trainer Brian Meehan, who provided Jakes with three winners this year, described him as "a regular at the yard" and a "lovely lad". The British Horseracing Authority's acting chief executive Brant Dunshea said: "We are devastated to hear the news about Tommie. He was a talented young rider with the world at his feet, and had earned great praise from trainers for his horsemanship and attitude in just the last few months."
In the wake of Jakes' death, there will be marks of respect at Chelmsford and Southwell on Thursday and at racecourses across Britain on Friday. The racing community is coming together to support those close to the young rider who had so much promise and potential.
As news of Jakes' passing spreads, tributes are pouring in from across the industry, celebrating his life, talent, and kind spirit. His family's request for privacy at this difficult time has been respected, but it is clear that the world of horse racing will be forever changed by his tragic loss.
My heart goes out to Tommie's fam, I know how tough it is when a young one leaves us too soon 
. You gotta give credit to the kid though, 59 winners at 19? That's insane talent & dedication 
. It's not just about winning either, he had a good heart & people loved him around the tracks 
. Can we please get some answers about safety measures in the racing industry tho? 
Safety should always come first for those little riders 
like, how many people can say they won 59 races at that age?! I'm not saying it's all about the benjamins, but let's be real, the kid had talent and was living his dream. shouldn't we be celebrating his life instead of just mourning his death? 
and btw, why is everyone so shocked? he was only 19, what did we expect him to do? 
what a waste 
19 year olds too young to die 
he was on fire 
59 winners in 3 years 
and now he's just a memory 
rest in peace Tommie Jakes 
what's the point of all these tribute marks at the races? they're just gonna end up being a bunch of empty gestures to try and ease people's pain. and what about the racing itself? is anyone even gonna step forward to take Jakes' spot? 
. Seriously though, condolences to his family and the racing community. It's not just a shock to us, but to his horses too... I guess you could say he was 'horsed' off life way too soon 
. It's just so sad that his life got cut short in such an tragic way 
. The British Horseracing Authority should definitely look into improving rider safety and making the sport safer for all of them 
.
i feel for his family and everyone who knew him, it's crazy how quickly life can change like this 
Wasn't there something about him getting into some trouble a while back? I need to fact-check that tho 
it's just so sad, my heart goes out to his fam 
especially brian meehan, who said tomie was a "lovely lad" 
. It's amazing to see how much his personality shone through - kind, hard-working, talented... what a wonderful person he was. 
and now it's all taken away from him. the racing community is coming together to support each other during this terrible time - that's so beautiful 
. i just wish there was something more we could do, you know? to prevent this kind of thing from happening again 
, but it's not enough - we should be doing more to prevent this kind of tragedy from happening again