Ron Hansen

[Alacrity]

I've been reading about him a lot lately, didn't even know he existed up until a few months ago. His story is definitely a fascinating one. From allegations of being involved in race fixing, late night antics, to his mysterious death. It's amazing he had so many wins at such a young age. We can only imagine what could have been had he not passed away so early in life. I'm sure theres at least a few members on here who remember him much better than I can considering I was only 4 when he died and never got the chance to see him ride. So what do you guys think about his death and what are your overall thoughts on this one of a kind man?

[andymays]

http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65366

posts 34 and 41 in this thread have some information on him.

[Ejmenz]

I remember Ron Hansen very well, I can't wait to read what the others wrote about him.

Here's what I recall.

Super talented rider, was closing in on Russell Baze when Baze decided to give it a go in So Cal.

Hansen rode Dorfers stock, piled up winners, partied hard at night, and rode harder during the day. One story had him smashing a huge mirror behind a bar with a shot glass.

IMO Hansen fixed some races, organized crime ran to the racing board with evidence of money being dumped in races where Hansen rode losing favorites.

The racing board suspended Hansen for several weeks, found nothing and reinstated him.

On his first ride back he brought a 5-1 shot, who should have been 10-1 home on the outside, he thrust his fist in the air victoriously as he crossed the wire.

A few months later he was chased at over 100 miles an hour across the San Mateo bridge, his car was found empty, his body washed up a couple weeks later.

Because of Ron Hansen all Vegas racebooks are now just OTB's using the pari mutuel system.

One of the most talented riders I ever saw.

[tundral]

Very strong rider kind of like victor espinoza . He was accused of pulling horses but was winning all the races up north. Was known as a party animal but this man could ride the hair off horses.

[illinoisbred]

Trainer Neil Boyce brought Hansen to Sportsmans Park for I think 2 spring meets back in the mid,late 80's. I thought he was quite talented and seemed tough to pass once he had the lead. Though the was a time the Boyces' had many stout front-running types,including the good Cal. bred Calestoga.

[levinmpa]

Because of Ron Hansen all Vegas racebooks are now just OTB's using the pari mutuel system.


Some of what you say is absolutely true. I worked in the Nevada Racebook industry at the time Hansen was challenging Russel Baze for riding titles. I know of one time that Hansen did "stiff" a 6/5 shot at Bay Meadows. I was a friend of the person that got down wagers for Hansen in Nevada. I was with this person at Bally's Reno one day when Hansen called him on his cell phone. Hansen wanted $500 to win on a 5/2 shot, when he was on the 6/5 shot. Needless to say, the 6/5 shot did not leave the gate well, and was never really in the race.

With that said, Hansen is not the reason that the Nevada racebooks went pari-mutuel. The fact is that the casinos did not want the risk. There were plenty of outfits getting money down in Nevada on races at tracks all over the country. Sometimes they won, many times they did not. I never considered this race fixing. I considered it bettors getting down for trainers, jockeys that had information. Most of the action was on first-time starters. The racebooks got 'wacked' on a longshot now and then, and the casino operators didn't like it. Pari-mutuel gave them several advantages over "booking". No risk. Full track odds to the player. The chance to offer the Pick Six and other multi-race wagers. It was a no brainer for the books.

[Alacrity]

Those are some pretty cool stories. It's interesting to know levin, that you actually witnessed a piece of the race fixing done by Hansen in some form. Did you ever personally talk to him? Not about race fixing or anything like that, just casual conversation?

[46zilzal]

Didn't they find him under the San Mateo bridge?

[Alacrity]

Didn't they find him under the San Mateo bridge?

Not too far from there.

[banacek]

I even remember Ron riding on the Alberta circuit. Had a tremendous amount of talent...such a sad story.

[46zilzal]

I even remember Ron riding on the Alberta circuit. Had a tremendous amount of talent...such a sad story.
Cuthbertson is the same way: can't handle success

[Dave Schwartz]

Levinmpa,

Do we know each other?

I was at Bally's on many occasions when that crowd you are talking about came in and the guy would bet Hansen's money. Of course, the joke was that even with the stiff jobs he had a hard time breaking even.

(Why is it that so many of those "wise guys" are connected to used car lots?)

I recall how a Hansen horse would become the "steam" and would wind up all over the book within minutes.

Personally, there is a bone in my head that prevents me from wagering on someone else's picks, so I never bet one.


Dave

[toetoe]

One story had him smashing a huge mirror behind a bar with a shot glass.




That was at Spenger's in Berkeley. The last straw for many folks.

[andymays]

Towards the end the crew was trying to place bets all over the place and then offshore through third party middlemen. Quite a few winning bets were not paid towards the end and a lot of people got stiffed.

You can't talk about Hansen without talking about Richie "Fingers"!

[Alacrity]

That was at Spenger's in Berkeley. The last straw for many folks.

Woah, when did this happen?

[Zman179]

There came a period when many Vegas racebooks stopped taking bets on Northern California races due to all the shenanigans going on; they didn't return until the pari-mutuels came.

One prominent casino executive said in the Daily Racing Form, "I would rather book professional wrestling than book Bay Meadows and Golden Gate."

[Stillriledup]

I wonder who the 'current day' Ron Hansen is up there now?

[levinmpa]

Levinmpa,

Do we know each other?

I was at Bally's on many occasions when that crowd you are talking about came in and the guy would bet Hansen's money. Of course, the joke was that even with the stiff jobs he had a hard time breaking even.

(Why is it that so many of those "wise guys" are connected to used car lots?)

I recall how a Hansen horse would become the "steam" and would wind up all over the book within minutes.

Personally, there is a bone in my head that prevents me from wagering on someone else's picks, so I never bet one.


Dave

I don't believe I ever met you Dave. Just in case we are talking about the same person, the guy's initials were "RS". "RS" got down for a lot of people, not just Hansen. Before cell phones were mainstream, he carried a beeper, and that thing would go off all the time. He would get information on first time starters at Calder, the NYRA tracks, Northern Calif, and he was also very close with a So. Cal trainer that was involved in harness racing before moving to Tbreds. I'm sure you can figure out which trainer I'm referring to. I remember one big score he had from this trainer on a first time shipper from New Zealand that paid $70+. Now I don't know for a fact whether he ever made wagers for this trainer, but my guess is that he did. Like I said, he got down for a lot of people.

Anyway, to get back to Hansen, I don't know if we can really call what he did "race fixing". Sure he stiffed horses, but in my mind race fixing involves several parties involved in the race. I don't think Hansen colluded with other riders so that the outcome of races was fixed. I think he handicapped the race, stiffed his mount, and then wagered on the likely winner. That's a big difference in my mind. Of course stiffing the favorite makes coming up with the winner a lot easier, but I don't think he got rich stiffing favorites. I did meet Hansen a couple of times. He came up to Lake Tahoe a few times on off days and was always hanging out with "RS". I remember him coming up with Chris Hummel one time. They seemed like nice enough guys. A few trainers and jocks would come to the lake. Terry Knight was a frequent visitor to the books on off days. D. Wayne Lucas' wife came around once in a while too. I'm not sure why she was there without Wayne. Those were some fun and interesting times.

[jballscalls]

i had dinner with Joe Withee from Emerald Downs last year along with some longtime nw horseman and they all talk of Hansen as kind of a tragic character. everyone to a t talked about how good of a rider he was.

the late Dennis Dodge from the DRF told me his ride on Bolulight in the Mile was the best ride he'd ever seen.

that being said, they also talked about many suspect characters he had around him, but the stories about him are legendary up here in the NW

[Dave Schwartz]

I never knew "RS" and probably wouldn't admit to it if I did. But I bet I could pick him out in a crowd.

I just remember that the beepers would go off and two or three guys would run to the phones. Then they'd come back and there'd be what appeared to be a whole herd of "lot lizards" trailing them. Always drove caddies.

Oh... just figured out who "RS" was. (At least I think so. Seriously, I don't want to know.)


Dave

[Alacrity]

Cool stories man. It is interesting to hear this from someone who was actually there and can give us more of a first hand account on certain things. I hope this is closer to being right. :D

[vegasone]

Lots of the issues casinos had with BM and GG involved so called maiden races, that got inside money at high odds. The races weren't fixed, just not all available info on the horses was made public. Not being able to bet more than $2 on a race after everybody else got their bets down first was frustrating to say the least. :bang: This was before paramutuel and word got around eventually so casinos stopped taking big bets on those tracks.

[andymays]

I never knew "RS" and probably wouldn't admit to it if I did. But I bet I could pick him out in a crowd.

I just remember that the beepers would go off and two or three guys would run to the phones. Then they'd come back and there'd be what appeared to be a whole herd of "lot lizards" trailing them. Always drove caddies.

Oh... just figured out who "RS" was. (At least I think so. Seriously, I don't want to know.)


Dave


read posts 34 and 41. http://www.paceadvantage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65366

[JohnGalt1]

If I remember there is a chapter about him in the book Great Hores Racing Mysteries by John McAvoy.

When he got married he was supposedly nude.

[toetoe]

When he got married he was supposedly nude.



I now pronounce you stallion and mare. You may now saddle the bride. (Mind the kidney sweat.) :eek: :eek: :eek:

[Deepsix]

I recall years ago when his family members actually joined in the online discussions (probably not here BUT other forum(s) ) to attempt to debunk many exaggerated contributions. It simply left you with the knowledge that over time the stories grew grander than reality.

Have fun.

[Ejmenz]

Hansen was married in the buff.

That was one guy that outlived his stories.

Baze was a better jockey, considering all that it entails, but Hansen was the more talented rider.

The only jockey I saw who had more talent in Northern Ca was Alvaro Pineda.

Rosario is extremely talented as well.

[Stillriledup]

Hansen was married in the buff.

That was one guy that outlived his stories.

Baze was a better jockey, considering all that it entails, but Hansen was the more talented rider.

The only jockey I saw who had more talent in Northern Ca was Alvaro Pineda.

Rosario is extremely talented as well.

Martin Garcia rode circles around Baze when he was there. He got half the amount of talented horses and still beat Russel for the riding title.

[nijinski]

Had Hansens death been determined a suicide?

I can't seem to confirm that , so maybe it is still a mystery ,
but I believe the case had been closed.

Sad thing is that he was named to ride Slew Of Damascus just days after he
went missing , and SOD went on to win a stakes race..

[ezpace]

he was a great guy.

[Stillriledup]

he was a great guy.


Yeah, he sounds like a real winner.

[Light]

I think its a great injustice to Hansen that he died under mysterious circumstances and that the reasons behind his death were never fully investigated. Supposedly he was drunk out of his mind,speeding on the bridge, crashed, and was torpedoed out of his car on the bridge into the bay. A bit much to swallow.

I did personally see him do the zaniest ride you'll ever see from a jock when he took a deep closer to battle the lone speed with R.Gonzalez on the front end in a stakes race. He forced a wicked pace. I'm not sure Hansen's horse ever ran again. The trainer was livid with him for practically destroying his horse and never used him again. It cost Gonzalez's horse the race and it was all over the papers the next day. I would imagine that with stunts like these,Hansen made a few enemies. But he was one of the best I ever saw bringing home a closer. You'd think the horse was dead and he would just mow em down.

There were several bay area jocks involved in the infamous GG trifecta that to my knowledge was never paid off by the casinos. It paid about $600. Several people in Vegas were betting that tri cold,$20,$100, straight or more.That's what was so suspicious to the casino's. How could several different people have pounded that tri cold, no boxing or even a few different combos.Different people normally bet different combos. The investigation caused a couple of Jocks involved to relocate and never be seen again. I'm not sure about Hansen's role in this,but it was from this race that Vegas stopped taking wagers from GG and led to policy changes by casinos regarding horse wagering.

I personally know one person of interest to the investigation regarding Hansen's death.I used to bet with him sometimes. I only found out when I saw an article about Hansen's death in the paper and they mentioned his name in the article as being a person of interest. That person passed away a couple of years ago from cancer. His son,a better who bought his house with racetrack profits was banned back then from GG for life for what I was told was "cheating". Getting "inside info". This was before internet betting. I never clearly understood what my acquaintances son did beside win alot of money to get him barred nor what his dad knew regarding Hansen's death.

[jbshoulda]

These articles pretty much explains all that can be explained. I was lucky enough to meet him once and when you shook his hand it was like putting your hand in a rough leathery vice. He was strong and a character.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1138611/index.htm

http://www.nytimes.com/1994/01/25/sports/hansen-s-remains-identified.html?pagewanted=1

[toetoe]

It cost Gonzalez's horse the race



Light,

I think Gonzo still won, but Terry Knight, Gonzo's horse's trainer, went ape$h!t. Of, course, that's like Toetoe telling Light how to play the RidersUp Contest --- ridiculous. Strategize with your own horse, Mr. Knight.

Middlefork Rapids was Knight's filly, I think.