Legends

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Eddie Arcaro: Five-Time Kentucky Derby Winner Nicknamed ‘The Master’

Eddie Arcaro was known as “The Master,” high praise indeed for anyone attempting to persuade a half-ton Thoroughbred to do his bidding at an instant’s notice. But Arcaro deserved that accolade because it can be argued that he, perhaps more than any other jockey, came closest to mastering his perilous craft.

Triple Crown Turning Point: Count Fleet on the Market

By 1943, the United States was more than a year into World War II, with Allied forces fighting in both Europe and the Pacific. For many, the racetrack served as a distraction, a place to get away from the heaviness of reality and find personalities to root for in challenging times.

Triple Crown Turning Point: How Sharpening Focus Worked Wonders for Whirlaway

Belair Stud had dominated the sport of horse racing in the 1930s, the distinctive white with red spots a fixture in the winner’s circles of the Triple Crown races in multiple years. By the 1940s, though, the tide was turning toward a different set of silks, the immortal Devil red and blue of Calumet Farm.

Hall of Fame Jockey Bill Shoemaker: A Racehorse's Best Friend

Did a racehorse have a better friend?

At 4 feet, 11 inches tall and 98 pounds, it didn’t look like Bill Shoemaker could muscle a few sacks of groceries, let alone control a head-strong Thoroughbred a dozen times his weight.

Still, Shoemaker personified that mysterious bond between horse and rider. He communicated with an innate light touch on the reins, coaxing the horse into the action, gentling it with his hands.

Underappreciated Stars of the Early 20th Century: A Trio of Greats on the Track and Off

The first decade of the 20th Century is known for horses like Beldame, Colin, and Sysonby, names that have left their mark on the sport from races in their honor to spots in the Racing Hall of Fame. These years also saw other greats, like Broomstick, Sweep, and Celt, stars on the racetrack and later in the breeding shed.

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