William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003), known as Bill Shoemaker, Willie Shoemaker, and The Shoe, was an American jockey and trainer. He won 8,833 races, a world record at the time of his retirement, and held the career wins record until it was broken by Laffit Pincay Jr. in 1999.[1][2]
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Shoemaker rode from 1949 to 1990 and won 11 races in the U.S. Triple Crown series, 1,009 stakes races, and more than $123 million in purses.[1][2] He won the Kentucky Derby four times, the Preakness Stakes twice, and the Belmont Stakes five times.[1] His major mounts included Swaps, Gallant Man, Damascus, Ack Ack, Forego, John Henry, Spectacular Bid, and Ferdinand.[1]
Shoemaker was known for balance, patience, light hands, and a quiet riding style that helped horses relax in a race.[3][4] In 1986, at age 54, he became the oldest jockey to win the Kentucky Derby when he rode Ferdinand to victory.[3] The following year, he rode Ferdinand to a nose victory over Alysheba in the 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic.[5]
Early life
editShoemaker was born on August 19, 1931, in Fabens, Texas, near El Paso, to B. B. and Ruby Shoemaker.[6] He was born prematurely and weighed about 1 pound, 13 ounces.[6][3] A family story later repeated in coverage of his career described his grandmother using a stove or shoebox as a makeshift incubator after a doctor doubted that the infant would survive.[3][4]
His parents divorced when he was young. Shoemaker lived with relatives during part of his childhood, then moved with his father to El Monte, California, near Santa Anita Park.[4][3] At El Monte Union High School, he boxed and wrestled, sports in which his small size was less of a disadvantage.[3] He left school as a teenager and went to work at the Suzy Q Ranch in La Puente, California, cleaning stalls and working around Thoroughbreds for $75 a month.[3][7]
Shoemaker later went to Bay Meadows Racetrack in San Mateo, California, where trainer Hurst Philpot hired him as an exercise rider. Hall of Fame jockey Johnny Adams, Philpot's stable rider, helped teach him race riding.[3]
Riding career
editApprentice years
editShoemaker made his first professional ride on March 19, 1949, finishing fifth aboard Waxahachie at Golden Gate Fields for trainer George Reeves.[6] His first victory came on April 20, 1949, on the third mount of his career, when he rode Shafter V to a 21⁄4-length win in a six-furlong claiming race at Golden Gate.[6][7] His first stakes victory came on October 26, 1949, aboard Al in the George Marshall Claiming Handicap at Bay Meadows.[6]
Shoemaker quickly became a leading young rider in California. On October 13, 1950, he won six races on one card at Bay Meadows for the first time.[6] He finished the 1950 season tied with Joe Culmone for the national riding title with 388 victories.[6] In 1951, while still a teenager, he was earning so much money that Horace Hahn was appointed his guardian by the Los Angeles Superior Court with the consent of Shoemaker's parents.[8]
On February 3, 1951, Shoemaker won the Santa Anita Maturity, later the Strub Stakes, aboard Great Circle for his first victory in a $100,000 race.[6] He won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award that same year.[1]
National prominence
editShoemaker's early 1950s established him as one of the leading riders in the United States. In 1953, he rode 485 winners, a single-season record that stood for 20 years, and his mounts earned about $1.7 million.[1][6] He won his 2,000th race on Florence House at Tanforan on October 20, 1954, and his 3,000th on Eternal Prince at Santa Anita on January 31, 1958.[6]
He became closely associated with major Southern California racing. He won the Santa Anita Handicap for the first time in 1954 aboard Rejected and ultimately won the race 11 times.[1][6] He won the Santa Anita Derby for the first time in 1956 aboard Terrang, the first of eight wins in that race.[1][6] He also won the Hollywood Gold Cup eight times, beginning with Swaps in 1956.[1][6]
Shoemaker led North American jockeys by wins in 1950, 1953, 1954, 1958, and 1959, and led by earnings 10 times: 1951, 1953, 1954, and 1958 through 1964.[1] He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1958 at age 27.[1][3]
Triple Crown races
editShoemaker won his first Kentucky Derby in 1955 aboard Swaps, a California-bred colt owned by Rex Ellsworth and trained by Mesh Tenney.[1] Swaps defeated Nashua in the Derby, then later lost to Nashua and Eddie Arcaro by 61⁄2 lengths in a $100,000 match race at Washington Park.[6][9]
In the 1957 Kentucky Derby, Shoemaker made the best-known mistake of his career. Riding Gallant Man, he misjudged the finish line, stood briefly in the irons, and lost by a nose to Iron Liege, ridden by Bill Hartack.[3][4] Churchill Downs stewards suspended him for 15 days for careless riding.[3] Five weeks after the Derby, Shoemaker won the 1957 Belmont Stakes with Gallant Man, his first victory in that race.[1][6]
Shoemaker won the 1959 Kentucky Derby with Tomy Lee after his agent, Harry Silbert, persuaded him not to ride Sword Dancer.[6] He then won the 1959 Belmont Stakes with Sword Dancer.[1] He won the 1962 Belmont Stakes aboard Jaipur by a nose over Admiral's Voyage, and later that summer rode Jaipur to another nose victory over Ridan in the Travers Stakes.[6] His first Preakness Stakes win came in 1963 aboard Candy Spots.[1][6]
In 1964, Shoemaker rode Northern Dancer to victories in the Flamingo Stakes and Florida Derby but chose to ride Hill Rise in the 1964 Kentucky Derby. Northern Dancer, ridden by Bill Hartack, defeated Hill Rise by a neck.[6] Shoemaker won his third Kentucky Derby in 1965 aboard Lucky Debonair.[1] In 1967, he rode Damascus to victories in the Preakness and Belmont, then won the Jockey Club Gold Cup aboard the same horse later that year.[1][6] His final Belmont victory came in 1975 aboard Avatar.[1]
Although Shoemaker never rode a Triple Crown winner, he won 11 Triple Crown races across four decades. At the time of his death, only Eddie Arcaro had won more Triple Crown races among jockeys.[3]
Injuries and comeback
editShoemaker's career was interrupted by serious injuries, especially in the late 1960s. On January 23, 1968, he broke his right thigh bone in a spill at Santa Anita and missed more than a year.[6] He returned on February 11, 1969, and won with his first two mounts at Santa Anita, finishing the day with three wins.[6]
On April 30, 1969, three days before he was scheduled to ride Arts and Letters in the Kentucky Derby, Shoemaker was crushed by a horse at Hollywood Park. He suffered a broken pelvis, ruptured bladder, and other injuries, and missed four months.[6][3] He returned later that year and resumed his pursuit of Johnny Longden's career victories record.[2]
Career wins record
editShoemaker rode his 5,000th winner, Slapstick, at Aqueduct Racetrack on October 22, 1964.[6] On August 8, 1970, he won his 6,000th race aboard Shining Count at Del Mar.[6] On September 7, 1970, he rode Dares J. to victory at Del Mar for his 6,033rd win, surpassing Johnny Longden's all-time record.[1][2][6]
He continued to ride for almost 20 years after taking the record. He reached 7,000 wins on Royal Derby II at Santa Anita in 1976 and 8,000 wins on War Allied at Hollywood Park in 1981.[6] In 1985, when Lord at War won the Santa Anita Handicap, Shoemaker became the first jockey whose mounts had earned $100 million in purses.[6]
Major mounts
editSwaps
editSwaps gave Shoemaker his first Kentucky Derby victory and helped establish him as a national figure beyond California racing.[1][9] The colt was one of the leading American horses of the 1950s and later set or equaled several records.[9] Shoemaker rode him in the Kentucky Derby, the American Derby on turf, the Washington Park match race against Nashua, and the Hollywood Gold Cup.[6][9]
Gallant Man
editGallant Man became tied to both Shoemaker's most famous error and one of his most important recoveries. After the 1957 Kentucky Derby, Shoemaker rode him to victory in the Belmont Stakes.[3] The win began Shoemaker's record of five Belmont victories.[1]
Damascus
editDamascus gave Shoemaker two classic wins in 1967: the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.[1] Later that year, Shoemaker rode Damascus to victory in the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Aqueduct, one of seven $100,000 race victories by Damascus that season.[6] Damascus was voted Horse of the Year for 1967.[6]
Ack Ack
editShoemaker had a long professional association with trainer Charlie Whittingham, and Ack Ack was one of their major horses. In 1971, Shoemaker rode Ack Ack to victories in the Santa Anita Handicap and Hollywood Gold Cup; Ack Ack was later voted Horse of the Year, Champion Sprinter, and Champion Older Male.[6][10] Ack Ack's 1971 victories included the Santa Anita Handicap under 130 pounds and the Hollywood Gold Cup under 134 pounds.[10]
Forego
editOne of Shoemaker's most noted rides came in the 1976 Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park aboard Forego. Carrying 137 pounds, Forego defeated Honest Pleasure by a head in the mud.[6][11] The race was part of Forego's third consecutive Horse of the Year season.[11]
J. O. Tobin and Exceller
editShoemaker rode in two major upset races involving Triple Crown winners in the late 1970s. On July 3, 1977, he rode J. O. Tobin to defeat undefeated Triple Crown winner Seattle Slew in the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park.[6] On October 14, 1978, he rode Exceller to win the Jockey Club Gold Cup over two Triple Crown winners, Seattle Slew and Affirmed.[6]
John Henry
editShoemaker rode John Henry to victory in the inaugural Arlington Million in 1981, defeating The Bart by a nose in the first Thoroughbred race with a $1 million purse.[6][12] John Henry's 1981 season also included wins in the Santa Anita Handicap, Sword Dancer Handicap, Oak Tree Invitational Stakes, and Jockey Club Gold Cup, and he was voted Horse of the Year.[12]
Spectacular Bid
editShoemaker became the regular rider of Spectacular Bid after the colt's loss in the 1979 Belmont Stakes. His first ride on Spectacular Bid came in the 1979 Marlboro Cup, which the colt won.[6][13] Shoemaker rode him through most of the rest of his career, including his undefeated nine-race season in 1980.[13]
Spectacular Bid's 1980 campaign included wins in the Malibu Stakes, San Fernando Stakes, Strub Stakes, Santa Anita Handicap, Mervyn LeRoy Handicap, Californian Stakes, Washington Park Handicap, Monmouth Handicap, and a walkover in the Woodward Stakes.[13] He was voted Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male in 1980.[13] Shoemaker later placed Spectacular Bid among the greatest horses he rode.[3]
Ferdinand
editShoemaker's final Kentucky Derby victory came in 1986 aboard Ferdinand, trained by Whittingham. At age 54, Shoemaker became the oldest jockey to win the Derby.[3][6] Ferdinand was crowded early from an inside post, but Shoemaker saved ground and found room along the rail in the stretch.[3][2] The win came 21 years after Shoemaker's previous Kentucky Derby victory with Lucky Debonair.[3]
In 1987, Shoemaker rode Ferdinand to victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic at Hollywood Park. Ferdinand held off Alysheba by a nose, giving Shoemaker his only Breeders' Cup win and helping Ferdinand secure Eclipse Awards as Champion Older Male and Horse of the Year.[5]
Riding style and reputation
editShoemaker was known for balance, patience, timing, and light hands.[4][2] He was small even by jockey standards, but his strength as a rider was more associated with rhythm and judgment than physical force.[4][3] Eddie Arcaro said Shoemaker had "the finest hands in the game" and that horses ran for him without being pushed.[3]
Rex Ellsworth, owner and breeder of Swaps, said Shoemaker knew when a horse was doing its best and when it needed stronger urging.[3] Johnny Longden said Shoemaker's even disposition was one of his greatest assets because he did not lose races through temper.[3] Chris McCarron later described Shoemaker's style as smooth and calm and said the consistency of his long career was difficult to comprehend.[2]
Shoemaker's public personality was quiet. Much of his reputation rested on composure rather than flamboyance.[4] On horseback, he became especially associated with saving ground, waiting late, and moving through narrow openings without appearing hurried.[2][3]
Jockeys' Guild
editShoemaker served as president of the Jockeys' Guild from 1975 until his retirement from riding in 1990.[6][14] His presidency came during a period when the Guild emphasized insurance, compensation for injured jockeys, improved ambulance requirements, safer racing surfaces, and safety equipment.[14] Jerry Bailey was elected to succeed him when Shoemaker retired.[15]
Retirement from riding
editBy the late 1980s, Shoemaker's mounts had declined, and he announced his retirement in October 1988.[6] His final season became a farewell tour that took him to racetracks in the United States and abroad.[2] His last win came on January 20, 1990, aboard Beau Genius in the Hallandale Handicap at Gulfstream Park. It was his 8,833rd career victory and 1,009th stakes victory.[6][2]
His final ride came on February 3, 1990, at Santa Anita aboard Patchy Groundfog in the Legend's Last Ride Handicap.[2] He finished fourth before a crowd of 64,573.[2][3]
Training career and automobile crash
editShoemaker became a trainer after retiring from riding. His first winner as a trainer came in June 1990 at Hollywood Park, and his first stakes winner followed later that summer at Del Mar.[3] He trained for owners including Allen Paulson and Burt Bacharach.[2]
On April 8, 1991, Shoemaker crashed his Ford Bronco II after leaving a golf course in San Dimas, California.[16] The vehicle rolled down an embankment, leaving Shoemaker paralyzed from the neck down.[2][3] A blood sample taken after the crash showed a blood-alcohol level above California's legal limit, but prosecutors did not file charges because no one else was injured.[16][4]
Shoemaker later sued the state of California over the absence of a guardrail and pursued claims connected to his medical treatment. He also reached a settlement with Ford Motor Company related to the Bronco II.[16][3] After rehabilitation, he returned to training from a wheelchair and continued in the profession until 1997.[2][3] He retired as a trainer with 90 wins from 713 starts and earnings of $3,699,439.[2]
Writing
editShoemaker published an autobiography, Shoemaker, with Barney Nagler in 1988.[17] After his riding career, he also wrote racing mystery novels featuring jockey-turned-detective Coley Killebrew: Stalking Horse (1994), Fire Horse (1995), and Dark Horse (1996).[18][19]
Personal life and death
editShoemaker was married and divorced three times.[3] He had a daughter, Amanda, from his third marriage, and was also survived by daughter Sheryl Shoemaker Griffin, sons John Shoemaker and Mitchell Shoemaker, his mother Ruby, and his brother Lonnie.[3]
Shoemaker died in his sleep of natural causes at his home in San Marino, California, on October 12, 2003. He was 72.[3][4]
Honors and legacy
editShoemaker was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1958.[1] He received the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and the Eclipse Award of Merit in 1981.[1] He also received the Mike Venezia Memorial Award in 1990.[20]
The Shoemaker Mile Stakes, originally the Premiere Handicap, was renamed in his honor in 1990.[21] A life-size bust of Shoemaker stands at Santa Anita Park.[1]
Career statistics
editTriple Crown and Breeders' Cup wins
edit| Year | Race | Horse | Owner | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1955 | Kentucky Derby | Swaps | Rex Ellsworth | Mesh Tenney |
| 1957 | Belmont Stakes | Gallant Man | Ralph Lowe | John A. Nerud |
| 1959 | Kentucky Derby | Tomy Lee | Fred Turner Jr. | Frank Childs |
| 1959 | Belmont Stakes | Sword Dancer | Isabel Dodge Sloane | Elliott Burch |
| 1962 | Belmont Stakes | Jaipur | George D. Widener Jr. | Bert Mulholland |
| 1963 | Preakness Stakes | Candy Spots | Rex Ellsworth | Mesh Tenney |
| 1965 | Kentucky Derby | Lucky Debonair | Ada L. Rice | Frank Catrone |
| 1967 | Preakness Stakes | Damascus | Edith W. Bancroft | Frank Whiteley Jr. |
| 1967 | Belmont Stakes | Damascus | Edith W. Bancroft | Frank Whiteley Jr. |
| 1975 | Belmont Stakes | Avatar | Arthur A. Seeligson Jr. | Tommy Doyle |
| 1986 | Kentucky Derby | Ferdinand | Elizabeth Keck | Charlie Whittingham |
| 1987 | Breeders' Cup Classic | Ferdinand | Elizabeth Keck | Charlie Whittingham |
Published works
edit- Shoemaker, Bill; Nagler, Barney (1988). Shoemaker. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0385239455.
- Shoemaker, Bill (1994). Stalking Horse. New York: Fawcett Columbine. ISBN 978-0449149362.
- Shoemaker, Bill (1995). Fire Horse. New York: Fawcett Columbine. ISBN 978-0708958025.
- Shoemaker, Bill (1996). Dark Horse. New York: Fawcett Columbine. ISBN 978-0449905975.
References
edit- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 "William Shoemaker". National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Flatter, Ron. "Shoemaker made racing history". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Christine, Bill (October 13, 2003). "In Effortless Style, He Rode to Greatness". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Bernstein, Adam (October 13, 2003). "Bill Shoemaker, Famed Jockey, Dies". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 "1987 Classic". Breeders' Cup. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Christine, Bill (February 1, 1990). "The Shoe: Reflections on a Legend: Shoe's Chronology: Thru the Years". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 Gustkey, Earl (April 20, 1999). "After He Turned 17, the 'Shoe' Really Fit". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Shoemaker Makes Too Much Money". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 2, 1951. p. 11. Retrieved July 7, 2026 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 4 "Swaps (CA)". National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 "Ack Ack (KY)". National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 "Forego (KY)". National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 "John Henry (KY)". National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "Spectacular Bid (KY)". National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 "Our History". Jockeys' Guild. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Jockeys Elect President". Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. December 5, 1989. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 3 Nack, William (April 19, 1993). "From Fame to Shame". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- ↑ Shoemaker, Bill; Nagler, Barney (1988). Shoemaker. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 978-0385239455.
- ↑ Downey, Mike (May 7, 1994). "Novel Doesn't Stray From the Mane Idea". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Dark Horse". Kirkus Reviews. May 19, 2010. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- ↑ McKenna, Pat (August 26, 2021). "DeShawn Parker wins 2021 Mike Venezia Memorial Award". New York Racing Association. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Shoemaker Mile Stakes". Equibase. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
- 1 2 Conway, Terry (March 18, 2025). "Hall of Fame Jockey Bill Shoemaker: A Racehorse's Best Friend". America's Best Racing. Retrieved July 7, 2026.
External links
edit- William Shoemaker at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
- "Shoemaker made racing history" by Ron Flatter, ESPN
- 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic at Breeders' Cup
- "From Fame to Shame" by William Nack, Sports Illustrated