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Referred to as both "Bill" and "Willie," as well as "The Shoe", Shoemaker was born in the town of Fabens, Texas. At 2 pounds (1 kg), Shoemaker was so small at birth that he wasn't expected to live more than a few hours. Kept in a shoebox near a fire to stay warm, he survived, but remained small, growing to be 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 m) and weighing only 95 pounds (43 kg). His smallness proved a benefit, because he went on to become a giant in thoroughbred horse racing.
His career as a jockey began in his teen years, with his first professional ride on March 19, 1949. The first of his eventual 8,833 career victories came a month later - on April 20 - on a racer named Shafter V.
Shoemaker won 11 Triple Crown races during his career, but the Crown itself eluded him.
The breakdown of wins is as follows:
Two of Shoemaker's most noted rides during his career were at the Kentucky Derby. He lost the 1957Events January January 2 San Francisco and Los Angeles stock exchanges merge. January 3 Hamilton Watch Company introduces the first electric watch January 4 After 69 years the last issue of Colliers magazine is published January 5 Russell Endean becomes t Kentucky Derby, aboard the mount Gallant Man, when he stood up in the stirrups too soon, having misjudged the finish line. He and Gallant Man ended up finishing second to Bill HartackWilliam John Hartack Jr. born December 9, 1932 in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, United States, is a Hall of Fame jockey. Bill Hartack grew up on his widowed father's farm in the Blacklick Township area of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. Small in stature, at age aboard Iron Liege. At the 19861986 is a common year starting on Wednesday. Events January January 1 Spain and Portugal enter the European Community January 1 Aruba gains increased autonomy from the Netherlands and is separated from the Netherlands Antilles. January 9 After losing a pa Kentucky Derby, Shoemaker became the oldest jockey ever to win the race (at age 54) aboard the 18-1 outsider Ferdinand. The following year, he rode Ferdinand to a victory over Alysheba in the Breeders' CupThe Breeders' Cup World Thoroughbred Championships is an annual series of thoroughbred horse races sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and held on a single day at a predetermined site, usually in the United States but sometimes in Ca Classic to capture Horse of the Year honors.
When Shoemaker earned his 6,033rd victory in September 1970, he broke the record of jockey Johnny Longden. In 1999, Shoemaker's own record of 8,833 career victories was broken by Panamanian-born Laffit Pincay Jr.
Win #8,833, Shoemaker's last, came at Gulfstream Park, Florida on January 20, 1990 aboard Beau Genius. Two weeks later, on February 3, Shoemaker rode in his very last race as a jockey, at the Santa Anita racetrack. He finished 4th, aboard a horse by the name of Patchy Groundfog. All told, Bill Shoemaker rode in a record 40,350 races.
Soon after retiring as a jockey, Shoemaker returned to the track as a trainer, where he had modest success. A car accident on April 8, 1991 left him paralyzed from the neck down and wheelchair-bound, but he continued to train racehorses until his retirement in 1997.
Shoemaker was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1958.
Shoemaker, Willie Shoemaker, Willie Shoemaker, Willie