Leukemia claims 21yo Fray Martinez..
 

http://www.xpressbet.com/ReadXBToday?id=15907

February 13: Wager to Help Fray Martinez

Help us support Maryland jockey, Fray Martinez, who is currently undergoing treatment for Leukemia in his native Puerto Rico. All proceeds generated from Xpressbet customers wagering on Laurel Park on Saturday, February 13 will be donated to help Fray.

Known as a hard worker and respected rider, Martinez has been a regular on the Maryland racing scene for the past two years, amassing 127 victories and earnings in 2014 and 2015. Only 21 years old, Martinez and his wife are expecting their first child this spring.

Laurel’s February 13 card features a trio of stakes races, headlined by the $300,000, Grade 2 Barabara Fritchie. Additionally, the track will also host the $75,000 John B. Campbell and $75,000 Maryland Racing Media Stakes. First post is 12:25PM ET.

Additionally, if you live in the Baltimore or Washington DC area, we highly recommend visiting Laurel Park on February 13 for the track’s ‘Fundraiser for Fray.’ While at the track, you can participate in a Bone Marrow Registry Drive and bid on great racing items in a silent auction. Among the items up for auction are:

- Saddle autographed by the MJC Jockey Colony
- Autographed & framed picture of Victor Espinoza winning Preakness 2015
- 2013 Preakness Program autographed by all of the jockeys
- 2014 Hall of Fame Jockey Challenge poster autographed by all of the participants
- Pair of 2016 Maryland Million VIP tickets & swag
- Pair of Preakness 2016 Turfside Terrace tickets
- Pair of Florida Derby 2016 tickets with hospitality
- Pair of Santa Anita Derby 2016 tickets with hospitality
- Jockey pants autographed by three time Outstanding Jockey Eclipse Award winner Ramon Dominguez
- Whip signed by three time Outstanding Jockey Eclipse Award winner Javier Castellano
- Jockey boot signed by the Gulfstream Park Jockey Colony, including John Velazquez, Javier Castellano, Corey Lanerie, Luis Saez, Julien Leparoux, and Edgard Zayas.
- Saddle autographed by the Santa Anita Colony
- Autographed 2014 Gulfstream Park Jockey Colony poster
- Autographed Gulfstream Park 75th Anniversary Jockey Colony poster
- Autographed picture by Sugar Ray Leonard

Also hear that Sugar Ray donated a pair of signed boxing gloves. Very nice.

Have to give Ray 5-Stars for stepping in and getting involved.

Getting on the bone marrow registry is completely painless and can go a long way to helping someone. I actually matched a couple years ago (super rare to match and actually be called). Whole process took about 6 months of tests, physicals, donation and such but was well worth it.

Utterly heartbreaking.. Son born hours ahead of his passing. Expecting to hear how we can support Yelitza.

http://www.drf.com/news/jockey-fray-...es-leukemia-21

Jockey Fray Martinez dies of leukemia at 21
By Jim Dunleavy

Jockey Fray Martinez died Wednesday morning at age 21 in his native Puerto Rico from leukemia. His death came just hours after his wife, Yelitza, gave birth to their first child, a boy, on Tuesday.

Martinez rode in the Mid-Atlantic from April 2014 through early May last year. He was diagnosed late last year with acute myeloid leukemia and had been receiving treatment in San Juan ever since.

Martinez rode primarily at Delaware Park and in Maryland at Laurel Park and Pimlico. He also won races at Penn National, Parx Racing, Charles Town, and Atlantic City. Martinez was the leading apprentice at the 2014 Delaware meet and finished fifth in that year's Thoroughbred standings at that track.

In all, Martinez won 83 races in the United States, and his mounts earned more than $1.9 million. He won another 44 races at Hipodromo Camarero in Puerto Rico. Martinez was a graduate of the famed jockey school in Puerto Rico, Escuela Vocacional Hipica.

Martinez and top Maryland rider Victor Carrasco had a very close bond. They were good friends growing up in Puerto Rico and roommates in the United States. When Martinez began riding in the U.S., Tom Stift, Carrasco's agent, represented him. Carrasco was in Puerto Rico to see Martinez on Tuesday.

When Martinez became ill, many in the racing industry donated to help with his medical costs.

A GoFundMe page for Martinez raised more than $10,000. Laurel Park held a fundraiser on Barbara Fritchie Stakes Day in February that raised almost $10,000. The account-wagering company XpressBet donated all revenue generated from wagers on Laurel on Fritchie Day, which totaled $6,280. Additionally, a reader of The Racing Biz website made a $10,000 donation that weekend.

That's horribly sad to hear.

:(Oh that is awful. Thoughts and prayers to his family. :(

very sad news....condolences to the family, very sad indeed

Oh no, this is just too sad for words. Just awful.