Legends

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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.

Game On Dude, Will Take Charge, 2014 Santa Anita Handicap, Mike Smith, Eclipse Sportswire

Remembering Game On Dude’s Record-Setting 2014 Santa Anita Handicap

In the days leading up to the 77th Santa Anita Handicap, the race seemed to generate a throwback feel well before the horses even stepped onto the track.

Smarty Jones, Hall of Fame, America's Best Racing, horse racing, ABR, BloodHorse

Smarty Jones, Ken McPeek Among 16 Hall of Fame Finalists

Eight racehorses, seven trainers, and one jockey account for the 16 finalists that will comprise the National Museum of Racing’s 2025 Hall of Fame ballot, as chosen by the Museum’s Hall of Fame Nominating Committee.

William Walker: A Jockey of Many Talents

The sport of horse racing in America dates to the colonial era, when Richard Nicolls, governor of New York, set up the first formal racetrack on Long Island. Since the 17th Century, the sport has thrived in all corners of the country, thanks to the tireless work of generations of men and women, especially African Americans like jockey Oliver Lewis and trainer Ed Brown, and the former slave turned jockey, trainer, and pedigree expert William Walker.

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