Steve Cauthen
Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is an American jockey who is now retired. In 1977, his racing weight was approximately 119 pounds. By 1997 -- five years after he'd retired -- he'd reached 138 pounds.
Cauthen, the son of a trainer and a farrier, grew up in Walton, Kentucky around horses, which (along with his small size) made race-riding a logical career choice.
He rode his first race on May 12, 1976 at Churchill Downs; he finished last, riding King of Swat. He rode his first winner (Red Pipe) less than a week later, at River Downs.
His rise to prominence was meteoric; he was the nation's leader in race wins in 1977 with 487. In only his second year of riding, he became the first jockey to win $6 million in a single season, passing that mark in December 1977 on a three-year-old filly called Little Happiness in the sixth race at Aqueduct Racetrack. After that, he was called "The Six Million Dollar Man" and "Stevie Wonder."
In 1978 he became the youngest jockey to ever win the U. S. Triple Crown, riding Affirmed, and he was named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. For 37 years he held the distinction of being the last jockey to sweep all legs of the Triple Crown until Victor Espinoza won the Triple Crown with American Pharoah in 2015.
He had increasing problems making the weight and moved to the UK, where jockey weights were higher.
In his first race in the UK in April 1979 he rode Marquee Universal to victory at Salisbury.
Cauthen was British Champion Jockey three times, and won English classic races ten times, including the 2,000 Guineas, the Derby twice, and the St Leger three times. In 1985 he won three Classics riding Oh So Sharp. In 1989 he rode European Horse of the Year Old Vic to victory in the French Derby and the Irish Derby. In 1991 he won the Italian Derby on Hailsham.
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