The Ragens - Born Into Racing : Part 2
Author: Bob Gates
The Ragens - Born Into Racing : Part 2
Bob Gates
The Ragen family a long history in Broadwater County. This 2-part article is about their storied history in horse racing. The article was written by Bob Gates and posted on the Assinboia Downs Facebook Page. It is published here courtesy of Bob Gates.
Part II
The Ragens were a multi-generational horse racing family with roots in Ireland. Edward Michael Ragen was one of the original grand old men of racing.
“Eddie” spent more than 70 years racing thoroughbreds, until an injury from a 1981 fall forced him into retirement at the age of 91. One of his many contributions to the sport was mentoring his nephew, John Edward Ragen who, in turn, would spend the better part of 60 years in the same sport. And that’s what you could call a lot of “corporate” memory.
Who knew: Ed was part of a racing oddity in July 1961, a true Montana Daily Double. Gary Danelson’s Montana Policy won the first race and Ed’s Steve O’Gaunt won the second race. In both races there was a dead heat for second place and the dead heats involved horses #3 and #8.
Ed’s nephew, John E. Ragen was born December 11, 1927, and as a young lad traveled with his uncle “learning the ropes.” John worked as a hot walker, groom, pony boy and galloper. He would eventually find his calling as a racing official. John was respected in all of the many posts he held and was known for his fairness.
In December 1952 John married Sharley Williams and raised a family. Daughter, Patti, and son, Dan, made their way with Mom and Dad, traveling to racetracks from Spokane to Saskatoon, Regina, and Winnipeg.
At the Downs, John held various positions including Outrider, Horse Identifier, Clerk of Scales and Assistant Racing Secretary. The last duties he performed at the Downs were in the mid-1970s, but he carried on in the business in Washington and Montana. All told, he worked in Canada for more than 30 years.
There’s no better time to highlight the most significant difference in Eddie’s and John’s lives. Uncle Ed never married. John had a wife and two kids and that made things complicated. Together, John and his partner-for-life, Sharley, made a commitment to the racetrack lifestyle.
Those in the horse business will tell you that spouses who live that life don’t always get the credit they deserve. Mrs. Ragen never complained, but the difficulties and sacrifices of raising a family “on the road” couldn’t have been easy. By the way, Patti tells us that her Mom will be 91 years young this July 21st and still lives in her own home!
John passed on October 10, 2005, and he’d be annoyed if we didn’t spend time talking about his horse JB. JB was always known as just plain old JB. Dan explained that was his name when his Dad first got him.
According to Dan, who is a graded stakes-winning trainer now retired, JB was the smartest horse he ever knew. He was also a character, who for one reason or another decided to drop John one day, right in front of the grandstand. He then galloped off and took his place by the starting gate, leaving John to walk to the gate, as the crowd in the stands cheered. JB had spunk!
Normally one would expect a funeral program to bear the photo of the person being remembered -- not John Edward Ragen. The photo on the front page of his card was none other than that of JB.
Dan said he had an easier time of it when he traveled the racing circuit because of the friends his Dad and Uncle Eddie made along the way.
“Eddie and Dad taught me how to listen to the horses and always do what was best for them. Any success I had in horse racing I owe to them.”
Patti and Dan Regan at Assinboia Downs in the early days.
Of her Uncle Eddie, Patti said:
“Great Uncle Eddie just loved children and having no children of his own, he loved Dan and me like his own grandchildren. My grandad, his brother, died when Dan and I were in third grade, so Uncle Eddie filled that grandfather role for us for all those years after.”
Is there anything like a daughter’s love for her father?
“The night of Dad’s funeral, as I drove home to our ranch, there was a full moon and an old Tex Ritter tune called ‘Just Beyond the Moon’ (I’ll walk just beyond the moon then I’ll stop and wait for you) came on the radio. I know someday, I will meet him there.”
Thanks to Patti and Dan for sharing remembrances of their life and times on the backstretch of Assiniboia Downs. You have to believe that Uncle Eddie, their Dad and JB are all…
Nodding their heads in approval!
Article Images
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PhotoCredit: Bob Gates
Image 1 Caption: 1965 Manitoba Derby. Vic Clare on Whitey and John Ragen (right) on JB, stand tall at St. Charles Golf and Country Club
Image 2 Caption: Patti and Dan Regan at Assinboia Downs in the early days
Image 3 Caption: JB on the front page of John Ragen's funeral program
