Ron Turcotte, the Hall of Fame jockey who rode Secretariat to the 1973 Triple Crown, passed away at age 84 on Friday.

Turcotte died of natural causes at his home in Drummond, New Brunswick, according to his family.

"The world may remember Ron as the famous jockey of Secretariat, but to us, he was a wonderful husband, a loving father, grandfather, and a great horseman," the Turcotte family said in a news release.

Best known for his accomplishments atop Secretariat, Turcotte guided the colt to victories in the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes in 1973. Secretariat set speed records in all three races, including a 31-length win in the Belmont that remains unmatched.

Turcotte began his career in the 1960s and earned his first major victory in the 1965 Preakness aboard Tom

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