Trainer Jose A. Martinez, a mainstay on the old New England circuit and at Pennsylvania tracks for more than 40 years, died Feb. 8 after a long illness. He was 82.
He immigrated to the United States from Havana, Cuba, with his parents and brother in 1947, and in 1968 started Double M Stable with his father and well-known jockey Armando F. Martinez. The enterprise was a top outfit for decades, winning races at Suffolk Downs in Boston, Rockingham Park in New Hampshire, Lincoln Downs and Narragansett Park in Rhode Island, and other tracks along the East Coast.
According to Equibase statistics, Martinez saddled 14,542 horses for a record of 2,264 wins and 4,004 placed finishes with $14,937,746 in earnings, and he sent his final horse to post Oct. 8, 2019, at Presque Isle Downs.
Father and son were local legends in New England. Among the horses Armando rode was the multiple stakes winner Charlie Boy, arguably the most popular horse on the circuit. New England Turf Writers Association Hall of Famer Charlie Boy remained competitive for a remarkable 11 seasons (1957-67) while Armando Martinez was aboard for 52 of his 58 wins.
Jose Martinez, who was known for taking on horses with problems and rehabilitating them, built Double M into a powerhouse. According to his obituary, he once told a reporter that his proudest moment was returning the 6-year-old Wee Thunder to winning form in 1996. The horse came back to win seven of nine starts, including the $50,000 Mario Beneito Memorial Handicap at Penn National Race Course, where he also set a track record for the mile and 70 yards.
"He was an amazing trainer, horseman, and person. I was blessed to ride for him in the 1970s. He and his father were always so kind to me. I will never forget either of them," posted Robin MacCormack on social media.
The graded stakes-placed trainer also helped operate a Thoroughbred rehabilitation and training center in New Hampshire and a breeding farm in Florida during his long career. He closed out his training days at Penn National and Presque Isle Downs, where he later served as associate executive director of the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association.
Martinez is survived by his brother Armando Martinez, former wife Vicky Perez Martinez, and children Dulce Martinez, Catalina Martinez, Jose Martínez, Joseph Russo, Margaret Pete, Lisveth Estrada, and Honey Ross Huck; and six grandchildren.
Burial will be private at Evergreen Cemetery in Boston. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
