Don MacBeth Dies of Cancer at 37 : Canadian Won First Breeders’ Cup Race

Jockey Don MacBeth, who won the first Breeder’s Cup race ever run and amassed $40 million in purses in a 19-year riding career, died Sunday of cancer at age 37.

The diagnosis of a tumor on MacBeth’s lung came a year ago, when he was forced into retirement with a broken back suffered in a spill at Aqueduct.

MacBeth won his first race in 1967 in his native Canada, but his career was spent primarily in New Jersey, Florida and New York.

He was the regular rider on two Eclipse Award winners--Deputy Minister in 1981 and Chief’s Crown in 1984.

A native of Red Deer, Alberta, he leaves his wife and four children, ages 9 to 16.