John Shear

Santa Anita's popular Paddock Captain, John Shear passed away Tuesday from natural causes at age 102 in a rehabilitation facility in Arcadia, according to a statement from the Shear family that was shared via a racetrack press release. Beloved by the many fans with whom he came in contact, as well as by his fellow employees, jockeys and horsemen, Shear opted to retire at age 100 in 2021. That same year he was honored by the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters with the Mr. Fitz Award for typifying the spirit...

On the day Santa Anita unveiled a plaque commemorating six decades of dedicated service to its recently retired 100-year-old Paddock Captain John Shear, it was announced that the Santana Mile S. has been renamed in his honor as the John Shear Mile S. For older horses, the $75,000 John Shear Mile will be held Sunday, Apr. 10. Employed by Santa Anita since 1961, Shear, who retired this past June, gained national recognition when on Mar. 12, 2011, he sustained life threatening injuries as he threw himself between an on-rushing loose...

John Shear, who retired from his post as Santa Anita Park's paddock guard this year at age 100, will be honored along with retired Del Mar publicist Dan Smith, Turf writer Lenny Shulman and radio personality Steve Byk during the National Turf Writers And Broadcasters' 61st annual Awards Dinner Wednesday, Nov. 3. The NTWAB Awards Dinner is the organization's only fundraiser and a portion of the proceeds of the event are used toward scholarships for prospective racing journalists and to support other Thoroughbred industry charities. The NTWAB Awards Dinner returns...

To say there's a touch of the picaresque about John Shear's life story would be like saying Pope Benedict flirts with Catholicism. During an over-stuffed 99 years and counting, Santa Anita's beloved paddock captain has had front row seats to historical game changers on both sides of the pond. He's rubbed shoulders with royalty and assassins, film stars and gangsters. Fate has intervened more than once on his behalf in ways that'll make the hairs on the back of your neck stand taller than a redwood. "You'll have to forgive...