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608:. At 38 ounces (1.1 kg), Shoemaker was so small at birth that he was not expected to survive the night. Put in a shoebox on the oven to stay warm, he survived, but remained small, growing to 4 feet 10 inches (1.47 m) and weighing 91 pounds (41 kg). His diminutive size proved an asset as he went on to become a giant in
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he was driving. The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, and he thereafter used a wheelchair. Even though a blood sample drawn 98 minutes after he entered the hospital showed his blood-alcohol at .13, above
California's legal limit of .08, Shoemaker did not accept blame for the crash. He
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839:. Forego's drive started from eighth position out of eleven horses on the backstretch. It culminated with a tremendous charge through the muddy middle-of-the-track stretch run, leading to a victory by a nose over the dead-game
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in the horse's final 13 races from 1979 to 1980 losing only once during that stretch. This included
Spectacular Bid's perfect nine for nine 1980 season, culminating in a walkover in the
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began in his teenage years, with his first professional ride on March 19, 1949. The first of his eventual 8,833 career victories came a month later, on April 20, aboard
Shafter V, at
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Shoemaker died on
October 12, 2003, of natural causes at his home in San Marino, California. He was 72 years old. He was survived by his adopted son and adopted daughter, Amanda.
775:, about which he is quoted as saying: "You just had to let him run his race ... and if he decided to win it, you'd better hold on because you'd be moving faster than a train."
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He continued to train racehorses until his retirement on
November 2, 1997. His final stats as a trainer were 90 wins from 714 starters and earnings of $ 3.7 million.
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Soon after retiring as a jockey in 1990, Shoemaker returned to the track as a trainer, where he had modest success, training for such clients as
Gulfstream magnate
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Shoemaker authored three murder mysteries. They were often compared to the large stable of best-selling horse mysteries by fellow jockey/author
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920:(1996) all featured jockey-turned-sleuth Coley Killebrew using his racetrack experience in and about his restaurant and the horse world.
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races during his career, spanning four different decades, but the Crown itself eluded him. The breakdown of these wins is as follows:
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At the age of 19, he was making so much money (as much as $ 2,500 each week) the Los
Angeles Superior Court appointed attorney
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ever to win the race (at age 54) aboard the 18-1 outsider
Ferdinand. The following year, he rode Ferdinand to a victory over
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for faulty vehicle design (as the Bronco II was infamous for it higher rollover risk). Ford settled with
Shoemaker for
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820:, on Exemplary Leader. All told, Bill Shoemaker rode in a record 40,350 races. In 1990, he was voted the
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Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee
Shoemaker was born in the town of
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858:(1988) he called Spectacular Bid the greatest horse he rode in his storied career.
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proved to be maybe his greatest racing achievement, and it was upon the mighty
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Shoemaker was involved in a solo drunk-driving car crash on April 8, 1991, in
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When Shoemaker earned his 6,033rd victory in September 1970, he broke
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1000:"Silky Sullivan didn't come from behind in the 1958 Kentucky Derby"
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in 1958. He was immortalized as part of a series of portraits by
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Classic; Ferdinand later captured Horse of the Year honors.
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United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees
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for not installing guard rails along the highway and
816:. He finished fourth, in front of a record crowd, to
573:(August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American
824:for "extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship".
49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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651:as his guardian, with the consent of his parents.
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728:Two of Shoemaker's most noted rides were in the
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796:Win number 8,833, Shoemaker's last, came at
933:National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
434:National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
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379:United States Champion Jockey by earnings
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
1172:"Warhol's Giant 'Sports Cards' for Sale"
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891:California Department of Transportation
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385:United States Champion Jockey by wins
1198:Shoemaker, Bill and Nagler, Barney.
1147:"Bill Shoemaker, Famed Jockey, Dies"
1145:Bernstein, Adam (October 13, 2003).
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656:Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
403:Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
47:adding citations to reliable sources
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16:American Champion jockey (1931–2003)
1090:"Russell Baze ties Pincay's record"
846:Shoemaker rode three-time champion
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1088:Harris, Beth (November 30, 2006).
1061:"Pincay Breaks Shoemaker's Record"
1059:Harris, Beth (December 10, 1999).
642:George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award
391:George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award
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1350:Sportspeople from El Paso, Texas
1340:People from El Monte, California
1310:American people of Dutch descent
1170:Mueller, Rich (April 28, 2007).
1117:Nack, William (April 19, 1993).
980:"Shoemaker Makes Too Much Money"
931:Shoemaker was inducted into the
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440:Fair Grounds Racing Hall of Fame
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1268:Most victories in Horse-racing
654:Thirty years later, he won the
34:needs additional citations for
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804:, on January 20, 1990, aboard
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356:(1957, 1959, 1962, 1967, 1975)
285:Palomar Breeders' Cup Handicap
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1217:Shoemaker made racing history
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592:with (left to right) jockeys
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969:. Retrieved February 7, 2012
862:After 1990 jockey retirement
720:(1962), Damascus (1967) and
600:and Willie Shoemaker in 1957
279:Oak Tree Invitational Stakes
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988:. June 2, 1951. p. 11.
822:Mike Venezia Memorial Award
767:Shoemaker rode the popular
415:Mike Venezia Memorial Award
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1095:Seattle Post-Intelligencer
956:"About Golden Gate Fields"
884:, when he rolled over the
612:, despite dropping out of
397:Big Sport of Turfdom Award
231:Clement L. Hirsch Handicap
225:Carleton F. Burke Handicap
1300:American Champion jockeys
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1031:"Shoemaker Breaks Record"
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628:Shoemaker's career as a
344:(1955, 1959, 1965, 1986)
303:San Luis Obispo Handicap
237:Del Mar Debutante Stakes
1345:Sportspeople from Texas
1325:People with tetraplegia
1305:American horse trainers
1183:Sports Collectors Daily
985:Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
854:. In his autobiography
321:United Nations Handicap
793:tied Pincay's record.
658:in the United States.
640:. In 1951, he won the
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409:Eclipse Award of Merit
183:San Marino, California
1320:Eclipse Award winners
882:San Dimas, California
661:Shoemaker won eleven
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571:William Lee Shoemaker
446:Shoemaker Mile Stakes
360:Breeders' Cup Classic
1119:"From Fame to Shame"
1004:Kentucky Derby Tours
618:El Monte, California
614:El Monte High School
315:Santa Anita Handicap
273:Jockey Club Gold Cup
213:Bing Crosby Handicap
43:improve this article
1224:Del Mar Media Guide
1151:The Washington Post
1066:The Washington Post
1040:. September 8, 1970
814:Arcadia, California
802:Hallandale, Florida
732:. He lost the 1957
1277:Laffit Pincay, Jr.
1178:2007-05-29 at the
1124:Sports Illustrated
1098:. Associated Press
1069:. Associated Press
1037:The New York Times
967:Golden Gate Fields
962:2012-01-01 at the
939:in the mid-1970s.
895:Ford Motor Company
818:Eddie Delahoussaye
638:Albany, California
634:Golden Gate Fields
602:
468:Significant horses
297:San Diego Handicap
267:Hollywood Gold Cup
207:Arlington Handicap
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1274:Succeeded by
1249:Succeeded by
787:Laffit Pincay Jr.
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329:American Classics
309:Santa Anita Derby
219:Blue Grass Stakes
198:Major racing wins
137:Shoemaker in 1986
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1295:American jockeys
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1010:. April 28, 2014
1008:Associated Press
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810:Santa Anita Park
692:Preakness Stakes
459:Santa Anita Park
348:Preakness Stakes
249:Del Mar Handicap
243:Del Mar Futurity
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176:October 12, 2003
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58:"Bill Shoemaker"
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798:Gulfstream Park
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486:Northern Dancer
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908:. Shoemaker's
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872:Burt Bacharach
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773:Silky Sullivan
750:Kentucky Derby
748:. At the 1986
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730:Kentucky Derby
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60: –
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54:Find sources:
48:
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38:
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32:This article
30:
26:
21:
20:
1267:
1252:Jerry Bailey
1239:
1234:Mike Venezia
1216:
1199:
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1154:. Retrieved
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1128:. Retrieved
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1100:. Retrieved
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1071:. Retrieved
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1042:. Retrieved
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1012:. Retrieved
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916:(1995), and
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906:Dick Francis
903:
879:
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855:
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833:Belmont Park
829:Marlboro Cup
826:
795:
791:Russell Baze
777:
766:
746:Bill Hartack
744:, ridden by
727:
714:Sword Dancer
663:Triple Crown
660:
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646:
627:
603:
598:Eddie Arcaro
570:
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521:Sword Dancer
350:(1963, 1967)
327:
255:Del Mar Oaks
178:(2003-10-12)
105:
99:January 2019
96:
86:
79:
72:
65:
53:
41:Please help
36:verification
33:
1335:2003 deaths
1330:1931 births
937:Andy Warhol
901:1,000,000.
831:of 1976 at
806:Beau Genius
738:Gallant Man
710:Gallant Man
698:(1963) and
696:Candy Spots
684:(1965) and
649:Horace Hahn
556:Candy Spots
516:Gallant Man
481:Round Table
190:Career wins
1289:Categories
1246:1981-1989
1243:President
1221:ESPN Story
943:References
918:Dark Horse
914:Fire Horse
789:; in 2006
769:California
742:Iron Liege
581:Early life
536:John Henry
491:Buckpasser
381:(10 years)
159:1931-08-19
143:Occupation
69:newspapers
1204:Doubleday
1200:Shoemaker
889:sued the
856:Shoemaker
686:Ferdinand
561:Tom Rolfe
501:Ferdinand
1176:Archived
960:Archived
912:(1994),
758:Alysheba
716:(1959),
712:(1957),
700:Damascus
680:(1959),
678:Tomy Lee
676:(1955),
511:Damascus
1202:(1988)
760:in the
736:aboard
496:Ack Ack
83:scholar
1271:8,833
1209:
927:Honors
837:Forego
780:jockey
771:horse
754:jockey
724:(1975)
722:Avatar
718:Jaipur
702:(1967)
688:(1986)
630:jockey
575:jockey
546:Gamely
531:Jaipur
526:Forego
506:Cicada
442:(1971)
436:(1958)
425:Honors
417:(1990)
411:(1981)
405:(1981)
399:(1969)
393:(1951)
362:(1987)
185:, U.S.
168:, U.S.
147:Jockey
85:
78:
71:
64:
56:
674:Swaps
476:Swaps
193:8,833
90:JSTOR
76:books
1207:ISBN
1158:2022
1132:2022
1104:2022
1075:2022
1046:2022
1016:2022
827:The
335:wins
317:(11)
173:Died
153:Born
62:news
812:in
800:in
636:in
616:in
457:at
448:at
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209:(4)
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