Trini jockey charged with murder

A 43-year-old Trinidadian jockey was charged yesterday with the murder of another Trinidadian jockey at the famous Belmont Park Race Track in Belmont, New York. Michael Lutchman was charged with second degree murder in the death of 31-year-old Dilip Amarsingh. Lutchman rode in Trinidad during the 90s, but he sustained a fall at Santa Rosa Park in Arima which resulted in the authorities “retiring” him from competitive racing. He also worked with the De Freitas family exercising horses. He was a regular face around the Port-of-Spain racing pools, giving tips and advising punters on American racing. He left for greener pastures two years ago and landed at Belmont Park Race Track, the home of the third leg of the American triple crown series. Police investigators in Nassau County said Lutchman was coming out of the Belmont Park’s cafeteria with a cup of coffee about 5:30 am, when he passed Dilip Amarsingh, 31, who was on his way in.

The two jockeys, who were at odds over a disagreement they’d had about a month ago, began to fight. Moments later, Lutchman, of Queen’s Village, pulled out a steak knife and stabbed Amarsingh once in the chest, killing him, police said. Amarsingh, who had been living in a dormitory at the track, was taken to Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, where he was pronounced dead about 6 am. Police arrested Lutchman on Tuesday afternoon after interviewing several witnesses. He was charged with second-degree murder and was arraigned in court yesterday. Police could not say what was at the root of the argument between the two men. It was said the two men also fought at a party about a month ago, and had been avoiding each other since then.

One investigator said there was no indication that Lutchman had planned the attack ahead of time, and said Lutchman carried a steak knife regularly to protect himself. Trainer Bill Delia, who knew Amarsingh from when the two worked together at tracks in Northern California, remembered a polite and ambitious young man with big dreams of becoming a successful jockey. “He did good for me,” he said. “I think he could have had a future.” Like many young jockeys, Amarsingh would come to the stables early in the mornings looking for a chance to exercise or race a horse, Delia said. About a year and a half ago though, Amarsingh became frustrated that he wasn’t getting more work and decided to try his luck in New York. Plans are afoot to bring Amarsingh’s body back to Trinidad for his funeral.