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Local jockey Prentice dies in overnight accident in Florence, scheduled to ride at Belterra Park today


NKyTribune staff

A jockey that rode at Turfway Park in Florence and Belterra Park in Cincinnati died in an overnight accident in Florence.

Jockey Euclyn Prentice, Jr. who died in an overnight accident in Florence, is shown here celebrating his first win at Ellis Park in 2015 (courtesy of Coady Photography).

In a release, the Florence Police Department indicates Euclyn E. “Pede” Prentice Jr., originally from the Virgin Islands, died when the car he was driving struck a TANK bus at the intersection of Houston Road and Hansel Avenue.

Prentice, 28, had amassed 256 wins from 2,580 starts, and more than $3 million  in purses in his career. He was considered an up-and-coming rider in the sport and was an Eclipse Award finalist for Outstanding Apprentice Rider in 2016.

He was scheduled to ride in several races at Belterra  Park today.

The Florence Police Department released the following statement regarding the incident:

On 05-27-2019 at 12:23 AM, the Florence Police Department received a report of a collision at the intersection of Houston Road and Hansel Avenue involving a passenger car and a TANK bus.

Through investigation, it was discovered a passenger car driven by Euclyn E. Prentice Jr. had struck the driver’s side of a TANK bus in the intersection.

The passenger car suffered serious damage as a result of the collision, causing the vehicle’s operator to require extrication from the vehicle. The operator of the passenger car, 28 year old Euclyn E. Prentice Jr. from the Virgin Islands, was transported to St. Elizabeth Hospital Florence where he was pronounced deceased.

Mr. Prentice Jr. was a local horse jockey.  There were no injuries to the driver and passenger in the TANK bus.  The Florence Police Accident Reconstruction Unit responded to investigate the accident.  The cause of the accident is currently under investigation.

Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to please contact the Florence Police Department.


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