Hall-of-Fame jockey Sam Boulmetis Sr. died May 30 in Red Bank, New Jersey, following a lengthy illness. He was 94.
DRF.com first reported his death on Monday, citing confirmation from his daughter, Kim Boulmetis, who said her father died peacefully at River View Hospital shortly after being transported there earlier in the day. He had suffered from dementia in recent years.
Earlier in the week, Kim Boulmetis had posted online that her father was the oldest living Hall-of-Fame jockey. He had served as president of The Jockeys' Guild from 1962 until his retirement five years later.
A Mar. 4, 1959, New York Times column about Boulmetis titled “The Golden Greek” noted that in the minds of railbirds, “Next to [Eddie] Arcaro, Boulmetis is the man with the most character and class in racing.”
According to his National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame biography, the Baltimore native made his debut in the saddle at Tropical Park in 1948 and rode his first winner, Stepinthedark, the following year at Garden State Park. His best riding years in the early- and mid-1950s included seasonal titles at Monmouth Park and Hialeah Park.
During a career in which he won 2,783 races, Boulmetis said his best mount was multiple champion and Hall-of-Fame distaffer Tosmah. He partnered with her to win the Astarita, Frizette, Miss Woodford, Matron, Maskette, and Beldame S., and also beat males in the Arlington Classic and John B. Campbell S.
Boulmetis won the Washington, D.C., International on Mahan, the United Nations H. on champion Career Boy, the Widener on Oligarchy, the Suburban on Helioscope, and the Flamingo S. twice with Charlie McAdam and Bally Ache. He won the Oceanport S. four times and the Monmouth H. three times.
Other standouts ridden by Boulmetis included Don Poggio, Vertex, Blue Sparkler, Errand King, Palestinian, and Dedicate.
When he announced his retirement early in 1967, Boulmetis had earnings of $15,425,953, which ranked him in the top 10 up to that time. Boulmetis later became a racing official and served many years as the state steward for New Jersey.
DRF reported that Boulmetis is survived by his wife, Lillian “Bebe” Boulmetis, to whom he was married for 69 years. The couple had five children: sons Sam Jr. and Jimmy, both lifelong racetrackers, along with daughters Jane, Susan, and Kim. Boulmetis is also survived by three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are pending.
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