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.

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.