By Randy Monk
sportsdesk.com@theindependent.com

Terry Houghton stands 5-foot-6, which is said to be tall for a thoroughbred jockey.

This is a story not so much about Houghton, the jockey with more than 4,000 career victories the last three coming last weekend at Fonner Park but rather Houghton, the man. A story chronicling Houghton's career, his inspirational comeback from a near fatal injury and his desire to clear his name and regain his reputation.

Many people are born and raised into the family business. Houghton's family was in the thoroughbred racing business

His father, Ron, was a jockey who rode the Nebraska and Colorado circuit, while his brothers, Mel, Walt and Gary a Grand Island resident who is currently a valet and outrider at Fonner Park also rode.

With the strong family background, Houghton grew up around horses and described himself as "horse-crazy" at a young age.

"I never really considered becoming anything else but a jockey," Houghton said. "My dad put me on my first pony at an early age and I started to learn to gallop horses around age 12 or 13. Dad would start me off and let me go and then pick me up on the backstretch, it was a great way to learn.

Houghton's first big break was working for trainer James Jackson at age 15. He and his father would break and gallop horses for Jackson in the winter at his farm.

"I first started riding races at age 17, before I graduated from high school, " Houghton said. "I was just going to ride a few races at the end of the summer to get my feet wet, but I started winning and rode until the meet ended in October."

Houghton was somewhat worried about going back to school, because young riders are given an apprentice year five-pound weight allowance, which starts after they have won five races. The five-pound break in the weights make apprentice riders very popular with trainers, and Houghton didn't want to lose his apprenticeship.

"Luckily, they have a policy that if you return to your education your apprentice period goes on hold, so I was able to finish high school and start up again the following year."

Houghton picked up right where he left the following summer, becoming the leading apprentice rider at now-defunct Detroit Race Course. It was during that summer meeting that Houghton sustained his first major injury at a racetrack.

People who ride horses for a living are constantly aware of the dangers of guiding 2,000-pound animals through small openings at 40 mph, while wearing just a flak jacket and safety helmet for protection. Jockeys literally perform their jobs with an ambulance following them as they work.

Most riders have had many injuries, and Houghton is no different. His first major injury occurred when he was 18 after his mount clipped heels with the horse ahead of him.

"My horse went down and fell on top of me," Houghton said. "I had suffered a bruised heart, a collapsed esophagus, had cracked some ribs, broke my collarbone and had received a concussion."

Houghton recovered from the injuries in about three months and finished the season at Detroit, then wintered for the first time in Florida at Tampa Bay Downs where he finished third in the jockey standings.

The 1990s were good for Houghton on the track as he continued to dominate the jockey standings at Detroit where he won titles from 1994 until its closing in 1998. He continued to winter at Tampa Bay where he won riding titles in 1998 and 1999.

Personally, Houghton got married to Rikki Herbstreit and the couple had two daughters, Ashley, 11, and Melissa, 7. Although Houghton and Rikki have since divorced, Houghton has said the parting was amicable and he sees his daughters often.

It was the love for and love of his daughters, plus the love of the close-knit Houghton family, that enabled Houghton to get through the first major ordeal of his life.

Riding at Great Lakes Downs in Muskegon, Mich., in the late summer of 2002, Houghton once again was on a horse that clipped heels with another horse, causing a serious spill.

"I was just coming out of the turn onto the backstretch," Houghton said. "My horse was trying to get out away from the rail, I was in kind of a bad spot at the horse's hip on my outside. I thought I'd let the horse clear me and get over, but we clipped heels and I went down."

The horse trailing Houghton's mount tried to avoid him, but Houghton unfortunately rolled into the horse's path, and was struck on the head by the two hooves, resulting in a traumatic brain injury.

"It was pretty bad, it didn't look good," Houghton said. "I had severe swelling of the brain, and I was hemorrhaging, if the pressure on the brain had built up more it would have been fatal."

Houghton was lucky, though, in that the pressure subsided. When he woke up he was transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich., where he rehabilitated not to return to riding, but to return to a normal life.

"I really wasn't concerned at that time about my riding career, Houghton said. "I just wanted to get better, so I could be a major part of my daughter's lives, so I could be their dad."

Houghton had suffered lost vision and his short-term memory loss.

"I could remember my life's history with a friend, just not things like their names," Houghton said. "I could think and think about someone for hours and not come up with their name."

A visit to the Cincinnati Zoo with his young daughters revealed Houghton's problems.

"We went to the zoo, and I wanted to show my daughters some of my favorite animals," Houghton said. When we got to the bear exhibit and saw the polar bears, I remembered I liked them, but I couldn't tell the girls what they were."

When Houghton read the sign that said polar bears, it brought back some memories.

"That's how it seemed to work, once I learned something over, I could remember," Houghton said. "My rehabilitation was great. In therapy we went over a lot of things that I needed to function, but animal names weren't covered.

"The therapy really helped. My brain gradually made a good progression, and they had me on a diet of omega fats that helps strengthen the brain. "

Riding, however, was another story entirely.

"I was told I'd never ride again," Houghton said. "At first this didn't bother me, but in the back of my mind I knew I wanted to ride."

A visit to the racetrack to see some friends was a turning moment in Houghton's life.

"I was visiting Gerald Bennett, a trainer I rode for quite a bit," Houghton recalled. "He brought out my favorite horse, Secret Romeo, who we had great success with."

A Michigan-bred, Secret Romeo with Houghton on board won stakes races in Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Ohio and West Virginia.

"Jerry gave me a leg up on Secret Romeo, and it was really emotional for me," Houghton said. "I knew I wanted to get back to riding and racing, I started galloping horses for Jerry and a couple other trainers every day.

"I was getting stronger everyday physically and mentally, and felt the need to get back into action," Houghton said. " I thought I'd give it another shot."

Houghton was once again not only riding, but winning, and having his riding services in demand by the best trainers on the circuits he rode.

But in December of 2006, Houghton faced another ordeal an injury of a totally different nature: a blow to his reputation.

"I had ridden the first two days of the Tampa meeting, when I was called into the racing office," Houghton said. "The (Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau) had called in a number of riders, to what they called an interview. They talked to us one at a time, and asked us to tell them about specific rides."

The TRPB wanted Houghton to tell them about a horse he rode in September, one particular race out of more than 1,200 races he rode that year.

"I asked them if I could see the films for the race, so I could better remember the ride, " Houghton said. "But they said no, just look at the past performances and tell us about it."

The TRPB was looking into races with suspicious betting patterns. A race Houghton had rode at Great Lakes had a suspicious betting pattern with someone cashing tickets in Delaware through a simulcast outlet.

"I was riding a horse for Bob Gorham, a very popular trainer in Michigan," Houghton said. "The horse had been unsuccessful two straight times at the same level, but someone in Delaware bet $500 to win on him at the start of the betting, making him a big favorite and getting the attention of other bettors."

Houghton the leading rider at Great Lakes, and Gorham a very successful trainer have huge followings in Michigan, when fans noticed Houghton's horse being bet heavily, many went along with their wagers, not only to win, but in exotic wagers such as the trifecta.

Meanwhile in Delaware, the bettor canceled his $500 win ticket just before the horses entered the starting gate.

Gorham has stated publicly that he was surprised the horse was favored and that Houghton had done nothing wrong. When the horse finished off the board, the Delaware people got lucky and cashed many exotic tickets.

The stewards in Michigan and the racing commission examined the race and exonerated Houghton of any wrong-doing, noting that he had ridden the horse hard. However, the TRPB was not convinced, and to this day is still investigating all the riders.

Since the investigation is open, not only has the TRPB not brought charges up against Houghton or the other riders, but many racetracks including Tampa Bay Downs has not allowed Houghton or the others to ride at their tracks.

"That's the shame of it," Houghton said. "The TRPB just tells these tracks, the riders are under investigation, because of irregular betting patterns, but they've never sat down with the stewards or the riders and reviewed the actual tapes."

One silver lining in the situation has been the positive response Houghton has received from fans, trainers, and his fellow riders.

"It's been gratifying seeing this support form everyone during this hard time," Houghton said.

Two of Houghton's biggest supporters at Fonner Park are trainer Marvin Johnson and racing secretary Doug Schoepf.

"In this country, you're supposed to be innocent until proven guilty," Johnson said. "But in this case, even though they've never prosecuted any of the riders, they treat them like it's the other way around. Terry comes from a good horse family, and is a good horseman himself."

Schoepf, who is also racing secretary at Canterbury Park where Houghton recorded his 4,000th win last summer, speaks highly of the veteran rider.

When Houghton decided to spend last week at Fonner getting ready for Hawthorne Park's re-opening, Schoepf talked to Fonner Park CEO/Executive Director Hugh Miner about Houghton possibly riding in Grand Island.

"Hugh said that Houghton would be welcome," Schoepf said. "I knew the fans would enjoy watching him ride and that he would be a credit to our jockey colony."

Houghton said he enjoyed his short stay in Grand Island and didn't rule out a return trip to ride at Fonner Park.

"I've always enjoyed Nebraska. I came here a lot with my parents, when I was younger." Houghton said. "I like the fact that I'm riding in a place where my father rode, plus spending time with my aunts, uncles, and cousins has been great."

When Houghton won Saturday's sixth race on Red Rock Rebel, the winner's circle was overflowing.

"Most of the people in the picture were my relatives," Houghton said. "It was great to win in front of everyone in my family, who support me so well."

Family remains the most important facet of Houghton's life and career a career that he wants to continue at wherever he chooses.

For now, Houghton stands tall in the saddle, searching for a finish line and a time where his name and reputation will once again be cleared.