Longtime Southern California Trainer Truman Dies at 77

Longtime Southern California-based trainer Eddie Truman died the morning of Dec. 11 at the age of 77. Truman's passing was confirmed Wednesday afternoon by his older brother and former jockey Jerry Truman.

In nearly 50 years as a trainer, Truman won 763 races from 5,334 starters and more than $15.7 million in purse earnings. He retired from training Jan. 1 after sending out his final starter on Dec. 17, 2023 at Los Alamitos Race Course.

Born Jan. 23, 1947, in Kansas, Truman as a child rode in local match races before becoming a professional jockey at age 16. In 1963 as an apprentice he finished as the leading rider at Sportsman's Park in Chicago.

Truman's career as a jockey would be brief due to his growing size. He then served a brief stint as a trainer in Detroit, Mich., before stepping away and taking a trip to Europe. In 1972, Truman moved to Southern California with the hope of getting a job on the racetrack. He eventually landed a job as an assistant for future Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel.

"When I came back from Europe, I decided I wanted to be a trainer and that I wanted to go with the best ... forget everything I thought I knew and try to learn from the best," Truman told Santa Anita in January upon his retirement.  "And so, it was Charlie Whittingham or Bobby Frankel. I happened to walk into Bobby's barn first and I asked him if I could get on some horses or if there were any jobs available. He said, 'Who are you?' and I said, 'Eddie Truman.' And he said, 'Oh my God, you were riding when I was walking hots at Tropical Park in 1963.' So then he told me to go get on a horse, and I was in."

In 1974, Truman again took out his trainer's license and went out on his own. He would become a Southern California training mainstay for the next five decades. Truman's highest-earning horses were stakes winners Go West Maria ($452,600), Casino King ($432,910) and Moonless Sky ($287,130).

According to Jerry Truman, Eddie Truman is survived by wife Elizabeth, daughter Kasey Truman and one grandchild. Memorial services are pending at this time.