Robert Permane was born in Camden, New Jersey, to parents who were vaudeville performers. At age eight he was competing in equestrian events for ponies.[3] Prior to embarking on his career as a jockey in Thoroughbred racing he had success as a singer, performing on radio and touring the United States and Australia.
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Jockey career
In August 1943 Permane made his professional riding debut at Garden State Park Racetrack in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where on August 31 he earned his first win.[5] The following year he was the leading jockey at Tropical Park Race Track in Miami, Florida. In April, during the track's 1944 spring meet, Permane rode a record five winners three days in a row.[6] Permane was also second in total wins in New York State in 1944 and third in 1948. He was severely injured in March 1949 in a racing accident at Gulfstream Park which would require eight operations that put him out of racing for fifteen months, not returning until June 3, 1950.[7]
When his racing career was over, Robert Permane and his wife made their home in Florida where they built Carlyn Estates Trailer Park in Palmetto. He died on October 24, 2017, at age 93.[12]
