Remington jockey agent McNaughton dies at 54

Richard McNaughton, who for more than a decade represented jockey Cliff Berry, died at his home in Oklahoma City on Thursday, according to a number of members of the racing community at Remington Park.

McNaughton was 54, and the cause of his death is not yet known. He had been expected at Remington on Thursday morning, but did not arrive at the track, said friends. McNaughton, who also represented jockey Luis Quinonez, was a native of California. McNaughton and his wife, Michelle, who was traveling at the time of his death, have an 8-year-old daughter, Macy.

“I don’t know what to think,” said a distraught Quinonez. “I can’t believe it.”

“It’s so devastating,” said longtime family friend Sandy Steinberg.

McNaughton and Berry were in the midst of a powerful run of success. In the last year and a half alone they won the riding titles at Remington Park, Oaklawn Park and Lone Star Park.

Berry is a 13-time title winner at Remington, where last December he went 7 for 7 on a program. The new meet opens this coming Thursday. Berry won his fourth Lone Star title in July.

McNaughton, who had been a trainer at one point in his racing career, is also survived by two adult daughters. Funeral plans were pending on Friday.