Parker Buckley III

After spending the last few years heavily invested in horse racing, the tragic is going to happen; it becomes a question of when, where and how severe. The death of Parker Buckley III on Tuesday morning is the ultimate catastrophe that could happen on the track. Buckley spent many years racing at Finger Lakes Racetrack and was one of the good guys. He treated the horses with respect and cared for them. It wasn't uncommon to see him petting an anxious horse to soothe them in the post parade. He might not have won any riding titles, but he was a winner in the game because of his attitude. The sport of thoroughbred racing needs more people in the sport that care as much as he did about the animals and doing things the right way. He will be missed by those who truly care about the sport of kings.