Billy Turner dies

William H. "Billy" Turner, the trainer of the 1977 Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew, passed away peacefully in cancer hospice care at his home in Reddick, Florida Friday evening, Dec. 31, according to a press release from Pavla Nygaard at the Ocala Jockey Club. He was 81 years old. Turner was born February 29, 1940, in Rochester New York, and grew up riding and fox hunting in Pennsylvania's horse country. He began his career as a steeplechase jockey as a teenager under trainer Burley Cocks. He rode for five years,...