Cathy Sheppard, the widow of Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard, was found dead Jan. 6 in a Dania Beach, Fla., hotel room. The cause of death is unknown as of publication.
The Broward Sheriff's Office confirmed her death to BloodHorse Jan. 9. Thoroughbred Daily News first reported her death.
In a statement released to BloodHorse, the BSO said officers "responded to an unresponsive person" at a hotel in the 100 block of Southwest 18th Avenue in Dania Beach shortly after 1 p.m. Monday and "upon arrival they located a deceased adult female." BSO's Homicide and Crime Scene units "responded to investigate."
The Broward County Medical Examiner's Office will "perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death."
Sheppard, who was 69, was a jockey who rode off and on beginning in 1971. According to Equibase, she last rode in 1992.
She met her late husband and was hired to gallop a then-2-year-old Storm Cat.
Sheppard is survived by her son Joseph.
