Kentucky Derby Day is rapidly approaching and what better time for Rotarians to hear from Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron!
Chris was an instant sensation in the irons, winning the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in 1974. That year, he set a record with 546 wins, which stood until surpassed by fellow Hall of Famer Kent Desormeaux in 1989. Chris led all North American riders in wins again in 1975 and 1980 and topped the standings in earnings in 1980, 1981, 1984, and 1991. He won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 1980.
His mounts throughout his career included horses whose names are etched in the memories of horse racing fans and among the best horses of his era. Those rides include Hall of Famers John Henry, Alysheba, Precisionist, Lady’s Secret, Sunday Silence, Paseana, and Tiznow. He won each of the Triple Crown races twice, the Kentucky Derby with Alysheba (1987) and Go for Gin (1994); the Preakness with Alysheba (1987) and Pine Bluff (1992); and the Belmont with Danzig Connection ((1986) and Touch Gold (1997).
Our speaker was equally successful in the Breeder’s Cup. Among his nine overall wins in that elite event, five were in the Classic, including consecutive wins with Alysheba (1988) and Sunday Silence (1989) and back-to-back wins with Tiznow in 2000 and 2001. He also won the Classic with Alphabet Soup in 1996, defeating Hall of Famer Cigar and Preakness winner Louis Quatorze. Other notable wins included multiple editions of the Kentucky Oaks (three), Del Mar Handicap (six), Del Mar Futurity (four), Del Mar Oaks (four), La Jolla Handicap (seven), Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (seven), San Felipe Stakes (seven) Santa Anita Handicap (three), Santa Anita Derby (four) and San Diego Handicap (six), among others.
Chris retired in 2002 with a remarkable 7,142 wins and purse earning of $263,986,005, a record at that time. He also served as technical advisor and racing designer in the 2003 blockbuster movie Seabiscuit, in which he also had an acting role as Hall of Fame jockey Charlie Kurtsinger. He founded the North American Racing Academy in Lexington to help hone the skills of young riders and played a hands-on role in that organization until his retirement in 2014.
A native of Massachusetts, Chris lives in Lexington, where we understand he plays a lot of golf!