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Sport	Horse Racing
Name	Willie Shoemaker
Subtitle	"The Winningest Jockey"
Number	07-02
Info	"They're off!" cracked the announcer's voice as the field of racehorses burst from the starting gate. Thousands of fans, devoted to "The Sport of Kings," pressed forward to get a better view as the field began to spread out on the Belmont Park track. This running of the prestigious Belmont Stakes in June 1962, was developing into a thrilling battle. As the horses rounded the far turn, three of them surged ahead. Down the stretch pounded "Admiral's Voyage", "Crimson Satan" and "Jaipur". Then the crowd roared as jockey Willie Shoemaker urged "Jaipur" into a narrow lead to take the Stakes by a nose. It earned the horse's owner 109,550 dol. and Shoemaker the winning jockey's 10 percent of the payoff. The winningest jockey of all times, Shoemaker began his record-setting career aboard a horse named "Golden Gate" on April 20, 1949. He booted home the 9-to-1 shot for the first of 219 winners that year. Soon established as a giant among jockeys, the 4' 11", 98-pound rider hit the peak of his career between 1958 and 1964 seven consecutive years asthe top money-winner in American horse racing. "The Shoe" in the saddle was usually a sign that a horse would perform at his best—but not always. At the 1957 Kentucky Derby, Willie seemed to have the race locked up. Then, misjudging the finish line, he stood up in the stirrups and his horse, "Gallant Man", slowed just enough to let the fast-closing "Iron Liege" edge him out. But Shoemaker came right back a month later to take the Belmont Stakes aboard "Gallant Man" in record time. By 1977, the 45-year-old jockey was still going strong. He had won every important race run in the U.S. at least once, his mounts had earned more than 35,000,000 dol. and he had a record of well over 7,200 wins to his credit.
Photo Info	WILLIE SHOEMAKER Born Aug. 19, 1931, Fabens, Tex. AWARDS AND RECORDS Kentucky Derby, 1955, 1959, 1965 Belmont Stakes, 1957, 1959, 1962, 1967, 1975 Preakness, 1963, 1967 Leading Money Winner, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1958-64 All-Time Winning Jockey, 7,200-plus firsts 4' 11" but a giant among jockeys
Copyright	© 1977, Editions Rencontre S.A., Lausanne Photo Jerry Cooke - Sports Illustrated – SAM Printed in Italy 03 005 07-02