Former jockey Robert Yanez dies

ARCADIA, Calif. – Robert Yanez, a former jockey who later worked in the stable office on the Del Mar backstretch, died on Tuesday of injuries sustained in a car accident earlier this year, Del Mar officials announced.

Yanez was 75. He was injured on March 5 when his car was struck by a drunk driver in Ramona, Calif., officials said.

Yanez joined the Del Mar backstretch staff in 1995 and worked as an assistant stall superintendent.

During his riding career, Yanez had one of his best seasons in 1961 – the year he won the Del Mar Debutante on Spark Plug and the Del Mar Oaks on Fun House. At Hollywood Park that season, Yanez won the Hollywood Juvenile with Rattle Dancer. Those runners were owned by C.V. Whitney and trained by Robert Wheeler.