“To dream the impossible dream. To fight the unbeatable foe.” You know the lines to the song. It’s “The Impossible Dream” from “Man of La Mancha, the 1965 Broadway Musical. How does it go next? Ah yes! “To bear with unbearable sorrow. To run where the brave dare not go.” It’s a song that so beautifully defines a man’s life – a story of defying the odds, relentless pursuit of a dream that one holds oh so dear. For a thoroughbred racing legend, that’s his swansong.
Larry Demeritte won so many times in life. No, we are not just talking about his thoroughbred journey. The 72-year-old literally took on life head-on: simply, never give up, never compromise, never let life get in the way of your dreams. And on May 20, 2025, a year after the legendary icon in thoroughbred racing lived through his greatest dream, Larry Demeritte passed over to the other side, as friends, family, and fans from all over the world mourn the loss while remembering what he stood for.
And what he believed in was never giving up. In 1996, the trainer from the Bahamas was diagnosed with multiple myeloma bone cancer. He was given 5 years to live. He beat that. In 2018, he was diagnosed with amyloidosis and told he had 6 months. He beat that. And all that because he couldn’t part with the world before he participated in the ‘Run to the Roses’.
When his horse West Saratoga would participate in the 2024 Kentucky Derby, Demeritte would become the first man from the Bahamas to run in the Derby, and become only the second black man to do so since 1951. The Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) paid tribute to the great man, his spirited journey and to the legacy that will inspire generations.
From the Bahamas to the Kentucky Derby, Larry Demeritte never stopped chasing dreams.
Rest easy, Larry pic.twitter.com/vHc8bah28k
— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) May 20, 2025
Their emotional statement read: “Larry Demeritte epitomized the best in horse racing with his horsemanship and love and passion for the game and its equine athletes. We’re all so glad and proud that Larry achieved his dream of being in the Kentucky Derby with West Saratoga.” It further continued: “It showed yet again that the little guy, with some luck and a lot of skill, can compete with stables with far greater numbers and bankroll.”
Oh, how Larry was famous for his prudent purchases! As his saying went, “I buy good horses cheap. I don’t buy cheap horses.” Kentucky HBPA couldn’t have described his electrifying persona better: “Larry, with his backstory, engaging personality and wide smile, was a terrific ambassador for horse racing, and the industry lost one of its bright lights with his passing. Our heart goes out to Inga. We hope she takes comfort knowing how many people loved Larry and will continue to get inspiration from him.”
Perfectly said! Larry Demeritte has touched so many lives, and his fans have been paying their respects to the man who taught so many how to live.
Tributes pour in for the man whose Kentucky Derby story defines winning in life
Many fans on Twitter had been sharing how Larry Demeritte had inspired them. One tweet went, “Racing needs more Men like him.“ For Demeritte, thoroughbred racing was not just a sport and a business. His younger brother, Patrick Demeritte, is also in the thoroughbred life, and they worked together in the barn. He shared with the Courier Journal how it was for them: “When you grow up in the sport, it’s different than when you walk into it. We learned the sport without getting a paycheck.”
Continuing, he added, “We don’t worry about the money part of it. We deal with the horse and let the horse take us through.” And it’s been quite a successful journey, hasn’t it? Larry Demeritte’s story is one of not quitting. That’s it. He was stubborn. He wouldn’t betray his dreams. And his journey started when he came to America in 1976, giving up a settled trainer’s life in the Bahamas. He was training the Bahamas’ champion thoroughbreds year after year, but he gave all that up because he wanted more…
LOUISVILLE, KY – MAY 05: Promises Fulfilled #3, ridden by jockey Corey Lanerie leads the field into the first turn during the 144th running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 5, 2018 in Louisville, Kentucky. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
He started as a groom for Oscar Dishman, a trainer in Lexington. In 1981, he started the daunting journey of trying to become a successful trainer. And in 1984, he would win his first race. Over the course of his more than 4-decade-long trainer career, Larry Demeritte had won more than 180 races in 2000-plus career starts, winning nearly $5 million along this journey. Mind you, its a journey that included almost 30 YEARS of fighting with cancer. No wonder a tweet read, “His story was so moving. RIP”.
Similarly, another fan said, “Loved his story. Larry was a fighter. ”. Oh yes, there is no doubt about it. Can you believe the Herculean spirit this man had? He had achieved almost everything in life that he wanted.
After a while, people around him, close ones, family, had started to give up. That included Larry Demeritte’s wife, Inga Demeritte. “I gave up on this, I must say, a long time ago. But he was so tenacious. His tenacity is overwhelming. He’s strong, and he stuck by his word.” And it started in 2023. First, the 2023 Iroquois Stakes (G3) win would come, which was his 2nd Graded-stakes victory of his career. One step closer till…
The G3 Jeff Ruby Steaks on March 23, 2024. The day Larry Demeritte’s Kentucky Derby dream was finally brought to life. West Saratoga finished second in the race and qualified for the 2024 Derby. And when West Saratoga ran out of the starting gates at Churchill Downs, Larry Demeritte must have felt on top of the world.
Syndication: The Courier-Journal Mage, with Javier Castellano up, wins the 149th Running of the Kentucky Derby on May 6, 2023, at Churchill Downs. , EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMichaelxClevengerxandxChristopherxGranger/CourierxJournalx 20610620
The way his story is – it’s almost like right out of a Hollywood movie. He spoke to Blood Horse in 2024 about how he kept going: “Faith, prayer, and just believing that I am here for a purpose. It was pretty rough, and it’s rough now. By evening time, my legs are swollen. I have to take medicine to keep my heart going.”
Another fan’s heartfelt reaction acknowledged this very greatness of Demeritte, bidding farewell to the man who not only fought, but fought well: “I grew up in horse racing on both sides of my family here in Jamaica. I have been connected to the sport of kings for decades. Watching from a far, Larry was an inspiration. Rest well Larry, roses to you…”
It is a bittersweet day. His battle is done, and he got to leave on his own terms. One fan said, “RIP Larry What a blessing you were to HR ”. But with all that he has taught, and the legacy he leaves behind, the world remains a little bit dim today. But like Larry Demeritte said, “You got to get up and go.” Maybe that is the befitting way to honor the man who lived with blood, sweat and tears – with faith in his heart and his heart on his sleeve.
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