Retired rider David Pettinger dies at 66

David Pettinger, a retired jockey whose brother, Don Pettinger, followed him into race riding, died Sunday in Eads, Colo., according to family members. He was 66.

David Pettinger was a native of Holly, Colo., who launched his riding career in 1970 and went on to win more than 60 stakes races, including the Grade 2 Cornhusker twice, with Win Stat and Hold Your Tricks. David Pettinger also rode Win Stat when he set a world record at Oaklawn. The jockey was a regular at meets around the Midwest, particularly in Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, and Nebraska. One year he rode at Bay Meadows, traveling there with a trainer he was closely aligned with, Don Von Hemel.

David Pettinger retired from riding in 1987 and worked as an assistant to trainer Jack Van Berg. David Pettinger later was a farm manager in Oklahoma and about five years ago retired to Eads. Don Pettinger said he and his siblings grew up on a farm, where the family raised cattle and crops. David Pettinger ventured to the local track, Gateway Downs in Holly, when in high school in the late 1960s.

“A lot of guys used to winter there, break babies, and Don was one of them,” Don Pettinger, 57, said of Von Hemel.

David Pettinger began helping with the young horses and before graduating high school in 1971 he began race riding.

“He cleared the path,” said Don Pettinger, who won more than 3,300 races during his own career. “He got me interested. My mom and dad liked going to see him ride – back then at Centennial – and in Nebraska, and I got to tag along. He got me hooked on watching horses.”

Don Pettinger, the youngest of five, said he always looked up to his brother.

“He was a hero,” Don Pettinger said. “A wrestling state champ, became a jockey. He was cool. I looked up to him – to both my brothers.”

David Pettinger, who was preceded in death by brother Dennis, is survived by sisters Diana and Donna. He is survived by a number of other family members, including niece Heather Pettinger, daughter of Don Pettinger, who works for the American Quarter Horse Association after spending a number of years with the New York Racing Association.

Heather Pettinger said her uncle loved dogs, particularly Australian Shepherds, and the family requests that in lieu of flowers donations can be made to either the Lamar Animal Shelter in Colorado or the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.

A celebration of life is scheduled for Oct. 5 in Holly, Colo., said Heather Pettinger.