SoCal Trainer with ALS retires today

[rrbauer]

Richard Matlow, one of the most genuine people you could meet, retired today. He has been a trainer for about 30 years and more recently also performed as a bloodstock evaluator at sales. Richard did his best work with young horses taking yearlings with non-descript breeding and getting them ready to race first time out. I first met Richard when I was part of a group that Bob Selvin put together to journey to Golden Gate from SoCal. Richard's FTS, Forever Faithful, won a small stakes that day in her debut. Richard was diagnosed with ALS last summer.

http://news.bloodhorse.com/article/49018.htm

[witchdoctor]

That sucks. One of the doctors I worked with died of that disease. Horrible way to die.

[point given]

I think Kiaran McLaughlin also has it but takes meds for it and its not very noticeable, but did see him in the winners circle at gulf last week and he looked ,from a brief look, a little stiffer than the past. He is one heck of a nice guy too.

[Fingal]

Damn.:(

[slew101]

McLaughlin has multiple sclerosis, not ALS. MS is a treatable disease.

ALS is always fatal, and usually very quick.

[JustRalph]

ALS is Lou Gehrigs Disease............. tough way to go

[chickenhead]

extended relative of mine just lost his wife to ALS two weeks ago. 50 years old, healthy, kids in high school. less than a year from diagnosis.

[maxwell]

Physicist Steven Hawking is one of the very few victims to survive this dreadful disease. It's a tough gig one way or the other.

Most trainers would prefer to have their eyes poked out with a sharp rather than retire so you know things are going downhill quickly for Mr.Matlow.

It's always something. :(

[lamboguy]

i send richard and his family all the white light going his way.

[point given]

McLaughlin has multiple sclerosis, not ALS. MS is a treatable disease.

ALS is always fatal, and usually very quick.

Thanks for the correction, my bad.:blush:

[JustRalph]

ALS got Catfish Hunter too.........

[Hajck Hillstrom]

... Mark Cramer wrote a chapter in, I believe it was, Thoroughbred Cycles titled Reign of Terror, which dealt entirely with Richard Matlow's propensity to click with his first time starters.

If anyone knows how to contact Mr. Matlow, could you please respond to me with it? I would love to pass along the fact that over the last two decades every time he put a FTS on the track that it automatically found a spot on my contender list.

[Sherry]

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a progressive neurological disease that strikes nerve cells in the spinal cord and brain.

My father had ALS and died at the young age of 52. It is truly a horrible way to go.

[ManeMediaMogul]

Richard Matlow is a fine trainer and has an excellent eye for an equine athlete. I have known him for over 30 years and often purchased horses at his recommendation.

Of the dozen or so horses I bought, every one of them won for me. Anyone who knows the game knows that is an amazing stat.

Forgetting his horsemanship, Richard is a fine man. He is a tribute to his profession, a wonderful father and a good friend.

[point given]

Just read this article on ALS and how baseball will address it at 15 ball parks on July 4th the 70th anniversary of Gehrig's speech of being the luckiest man on earth. A touching story of how a college prof brought it to the attention of Commissioner Bud Selig and it has gone on from there. :ThmbUp:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/03/sports/baseball/03vecsey.html?_r=1&em

[rrbauer]

... Mark Cramer wrote a chapter in, I believe it was, Thoroughbred Cycles titled Reign of Terror, which dealt entirely with Richard Matlow's propensity to click with his first time starters.

If anyone knows how to contact Mr. Matlow, could you please respond to me with it? I would love to pass along the fact that over the last two decades every time he put a FTS on the track that it automatically found a spot on my contender list.

Send it in care of Santa Anita.

He will get it.