Famous Jockey

April 3, 2009

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Profile America — Friday, April 3rd. One of the great jockeys in the annals of U.S. horse racing decided to hang up his saddle on this day in 1962 — as Eddie Arcaro retired. He was the first jockey to win 3,000 races and ultimately rode to a total of 4,800 victories in his career. In the process, he won more than $30 million. Eddie Arcaro was the only jockey to win the Triple Crown twice — with famous horses Whirlaway and Citation. Along the way, he rode winners in the Kentucky Derby five times and six times each in the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. While horse racing no longer has the national popularity it once had, close to 13 million people in the U.S. enjoy going to the races each year. Profile America is a public service of the U.S. Census Bureau, now preparing for the 2010 Census.

Sources: 440 International Calendar of Events
www.ESPN.go.com
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2009, t. 1206
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2009edition.html