SHOEMAKER, BILL

born Aug. 19, 1931, near Fabens, Texas, U.S. also called Willie Shoemaker, byname of William Lee Shoemaker greatest American jockey of the second half of the 20th century. Weighing only 1 pound 13 ounces at birth, Shoemaker grew to an adult weight of 98 pounds and a height of 4 feet 11.5 inches. He moved with his family at the age of 10 to California, which became and remained his racing base. He started to ride at the age of six and began his track career in 1949. Shoemaker rode in 24 Kentucky Derbies and won four: 1955, 1959, 1965, and 1986, achieving the latter victory at the age of 54. He won the Belmont Stakes five times1957, 1959, 1962, 1967, and 1975and the Preakness twice1963 and 1967. He was the leading rider among North American jockeys in 1950, 1953, 1954, 1958, and 1959 and led in purses won in a single year 10 times. From 1957 on he earned more than $2,000,000 annually, and by the time he finally retired in 1989, horses he rode had won more than $120,000,000. After retirement from riding, he worked as a trainer, even after an automobile accident in 1991 left him a quadriplegic. Shoemaker rode more than 8,800 winners in his 41-year career. In 1981 he rode John Henry, winner of the Arlington Million, the first million-dollar stake race for Thoroughbreds. The Shoe: Willie Shoemaker's Illustrated Book of Racing, written with Dan Smith, was published in 1976.