Bill Hartack
| Bill Hartack | |
|---|---|
Hartack on the cover of Time
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| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born |
December 9, 1932 Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | November 26, 2007 (aged 74) |
| Career wins | 4,272 |
| Major racing wins | |
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American Classics / Breeders' Cup wins: Preakness Stakes (1956, 1964, 1969) Belmont Stakes (1960) |
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| Racing awards | |
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United States Champion Jockey by earnings (1956, 1957) United States Champion Jockey by wins (1955, 1956, 1957, 1960) |
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| Honours | |
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National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (1959) Bill Hartack Memorial Handicap at Hawthorne |
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| Significant horses | |
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Celtic Ash, Decidedly, Fabius, Iron Liege, Majestic Prince, Northern Dancer, Pet Bully, Ridan, Tim Tam, Venetian Way |
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American Classics / Breeders' Cup wins:
William John Hartack Jr. (December 9, 1932 – November 26, 2007) was a Hall of Fame jockey. He was born in Colver, Pennsylvania.
Referred to by the media as both "Bill" and "Willie" (Hartack detested being called "Willie") during his racing career, Hartack grew up on farm in the Blacklick Township area of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. His mother died from injuries in an automobile accident in 1940, when Hartack was 8. Small in stature, at age 17 he stood 5 ft. 4 in. (1.63 m) and weighed 111 lb (50 kg), a size that enabled him to pursue a career as a jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. By his third season of racing, Hartack was the United States' leading jockey, going on to win that honor on three more occasions. He and Eddie Arcaro are the only two jockeys to ever win the Kentucky Derby five times. As well, Hartack won the Preakness Stakes three times and the Belmont Stakes once. He rode Tim Tam to victory in the 1958 Florida Derby but a week before the Kentucky Derby, Hartack broke a leg and had to give up his ride on Tim Tam, who won the race.
During his riding career between 1953 and 1974 in the United States, Hartack rode 4,272 winners in 21,535 mounts. From 1974 to 1980 he raced in Hong Kong, then retired in 1981. Hartack led the nation in races won four times, and was the first rider to have purse earnings of $3 million in a season.
After he retired as a jockey, Hartack worked as a steward and as other racing officials for the rest of his life.
Hartack made the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in 1956 and again in 1964, plus the cover of Time in 1958. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1959 at the early age of 26.
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Wikipedia