Former agent Frieze has granddaughter in Olympics

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Bob Frieze, the former jockey agent who represented Hall of Famers such as Jerry Bailey, Edgar Prado, and Eddie Maple, will have a major rooting interest in Sunday’s Olympic equestrian show-jumping event when his granddaughter Lucy Davis competes for Team USA.

The horse Davis rides, Barron, is named for Frieze, whose middle name is Barron. Frieze left Saratoga, where he owns a home, Friday to attend the games in Rio.

Davis, 23, attended college at Stanford University in California but would often complete in Wellington, Fla.

“She worked hard,” Frieze said. “I used to pick her up at the airport, she’d catch the redeye from college, change clothes in Fort Lauderdale, go to Wellington, and compete. If she wasn’t my granddaughter, I’d make her my new jock. She has to be good to be in the top four.”

Frieze said his granddaughter winning a medal would be comparable to one of his riders winning the Kentucky Derby.

“I think it would be,” he said.