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David K. Clark

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David K. Clark (born October 23, 1953) is an English-Canadian jockey. Born in Blaydon, County Durham, England, Clark made his career in Canadian thoroughbred horse racing. He began riding professionally at Ontario racetracks in 1973 and went on to become one of Canada's most successful jockeys of all-time.

Clark won the 1998 Sovereign Award as Canadian Champion Jockey and on July 17 of that year he tied a record set by Sandy Hawley in 1974 when he won six consecutive races at Woodbine Racetrack. In 1999 Clark was voted the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award. Among his more than 2,900 career wins, Clark has twice won Canada's most prestigious race, the Queen's Plate. The first coming in 1981 aboard Fiddle Dancer Boy and his second in 1985 on La Lorgnette. David also won the 1984 Breeders' Stakes (on Bounding Away) to bring his win total in Canadian Classic Races to three.

Divorced with two daughters, David Clark's daughter Cory followed in his footsteps and in 2000 she won the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. In 2003 at the Prince of Wales Stakes, David and Cory became the first father and daughter to compete against one another in a Canadian Triple Crown race.[1]

Conviction for drunk driving causing death

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On May 16, 2006, Clark was detained by York Regional Police after a traffic collision near Kleinburg, Ontario that resulted in the death of 34-year-old school teacher Suzanne Mizuno[2] and injuries to her brother Jamie and himself.[3] He was charged with impaired driving causing death, impaired driving causing bodily harm, dangerous driving causing death, dangerous driving causing bodily harm, and a blood alcohol content exceeding the legal limit.[4] He had a blood alcohol content between 0.12 and 0.17, above the legal limit of 0.08 in Ontario.[5]

After a preliminary hearing in 2007, he was ordered to stand trial on all charges.[6] His lawyer David Humphrey[7] stated he would plead not guilty.[4] In April 2008 he pleaded guilty to two of those charges, impaired driving causing death and impaired driving causing bodily harm.[8][5] The other three charges were dropped.[9]

Crown prosecutor Paul Tait[5] had sought at least a three-year jail sentence.[10] In November 2008, Clark was sentenced to two years less a day of house arrest followed by two years probation, was required to do 240 hours of community service, and was prohibited from driving for three years.[8][11]

Notes

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  1. ^ Pierson Dulay 2003.
  2. ^ Toronto Star 2006.
  3. ^ Hunter 2008.
  4. ^ a b Strobel 2007.
  5. ^ a b c Edwards 2008.
  6. ^ Toronto Star 2007.
  7. ^ Newmarket Era 2008.
  8. ^ a b Black 2008.
  9. ^ National Post 2008.
  10. ^ United Press International 2008.
  11. ^ Cooper 2008.

References

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  • Black, Debra (14 November 2008). "Jockey gets 2 years of house arrest for drunk driving death". Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • Cooper, Alex (13 November 2008). "House arrest for jockey who killed woman". Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • Edwards, Peter (27 June 2008). "Victim in jockey's car crash died in mother's arms". Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • Hunter, Paul (22 June 2008). "Plate ride could be Clark's swan song". Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • Pierson Dulay, Cindy (16 July 2003). "2003 Prince of Wales Stakes". Archived from the original on 2013-04-16. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • Strobel, Mike (21 June 2007). "Star jockey stands accused". Toronto Sun. Canoe. Archived from the original on June 28, 2013. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • "Horse-racing legend Clark guilty of drunk driving in fatal crash". National Post. CanWest MediaWorks Publications. 24 April 2008. Archived from the original on 2016-03-24. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • "Victim died in mother's arms, court told". Newmarket Era. Metroland Media Group. 27 June 2008. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • "Jail urged for British DUI jockey". United Press International. 1 October 2008. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
  • "Toronto". Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers. 18 May 2006. p. A20.
  • "Jockey to put legal woes aside". Toronto Star. Toronto Star Newspapers. The Canadian Press. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 2013-04-16.
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