Jockey Eddie Belmonte, a regular on the New York circuit in the sixties and seventies and whose accomplishments include a win in the 1970 Preakness aboard Personality, passed away Wednesday. He was 83.“With deep regret, the Puerto Rican Horse Racing Hall of Fame mourns the passing of Eddie Belmonte, a legendary figure in the history of Puerto Rican horse racing,” Puerto Rican Hall of Fame President Jorge Colón Delgado said in a statement.After beginning his career in his native Puerto Rico, where he was the leading rider in 1963 and 1964, Belmonte came to the U.S. in the latter part of 1964 and would became the first native Puerto Rican jockey to ride in the Kentucky Derby. He rode Exhibitionist to a ninth-place finish in the 1966 Derby.On Feb. 17, 1972, he won five races on the Santa Anita card and also rode in the 1973 G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe aboard El Famaso. Other major wins during his career include victories in the Whitney Handicap, the Donn Handicap, the Metropolitan Handicap, the Santa Anita Handicap and the Wood Memorial Stakes. He won more than 1,800 races during his career.He retired in 1976 and worked briefly as a jockey's agent. He tried to make a comeback in 1977 but his return was short lived after he suddenly collapsed and fell from his horse. His collapse came about as a result of an effort to meet riding weight limits through a dieting process that brought about rapid weight loss.Belmonte's career was not without controversy. In 1981, he was barred by New York racing officials from working as a jockey's agent for his alleged role in a race-fixing conspiracy. Belmonte was among several jockeys who were implicated by rider Jose Amy, who alleged they had been involved in schemes to fix races. Belmonte denied any wrongdoing.The post Jockey Eddie Belmonte Passes at 83 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.