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Bill Hartack
William John Hartack Jr. (December 9, 1932 – November 26, 2007) was an American jockey.
Referred to by the media as both "Bill" and "Willie" (Hartack detested being called "Willie") during his racing career, Hartack grew up on a farm in the Blacklick Township area of Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
His mother died from injuries in an automobile accident in 1940, when Hartack was 8.
Small in stature, at age 17 he stood 5 ft. 4 in. (1.63 m) and weighed 111 lb (50 kg), a size that enabled him to pursue a career as a jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing.
By his third season of racing, Hartack was the United States' leading jockey in both wins and money earned. He would go on to win a National Champion title six times.
He and Eddie Arcaro are the only two jockeys to ever win the Kentucky Derby five times. As well, Hartack won the Preakness Stakes three times and the Belmont Stakes once. He rode Tim Tam to victory in the 1958 Florida Derby but a week before the Kentucky Derby, Hartack broke a leg and had to give up his ride on Tim Tam to replacement jockey Ismael Valenzuela, who won the Derby.
During his riding career between 1953 and 1974 in the United States, Hartack rode 4,272 winners in 21,535 mounts. From 1974 to 1980 he raced in Hong Kong, then retired in 1981. Hartack led the nation in races won four times, and was the first rider to have purse earnings of $3 million in a season.
After he retired as a jockey, Hartack worked as a steward as well as other racing officials for the rest of his life.
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Bill Hartack
William John Hartack Jr. (December 9, 1932 – November 26, 2007) was an American jockey.
Referred to by the media as both "Bill" and "Willie" (Hartack detested being called "Willie") during his racing career, Hartack grew up on a farm in the Blacklick Township area of Cambria County, Pennsylvania.
His mother died from injuries in an automobile accident in 1940, when Hartack was 8.
Small in stature, at age 17 he stood 5 ft. 4 in. (1.63 m) and weighed 111 lb (50 kg), a size that enabled him to pursue a career as a jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing.
By his third season of racing, Hartack was the United States' leading jockey in both wins and money earned. He would go on to win a National Champion title six times.
He and Eddie Arcaro are the only two jockeys to ever win the Kentucky Derby five times. As well, Hartack won the Preakness Stakes three times and the Belmont Stakes once. He rode Tim Tam to victory in the 1958 Florida Derby but a week before the Kentucky Derby, Hartack broke a leg and had to give up his ride on Tim Tam to replacement jockey Ismael Valenzuela, who won the Derby.
During his riding career between 1953 and 1974 in the United States, Hartack rode 4,272 winners in 21,535 mounts. From 1974 to 1980 he raced in Hong Kong, then retired in 1981. Hartack led the nation in races won four times, and was the first rider to have purse earnings of $3 million in a season.
After he retired as a jockey, Hartack worked as a steward as well as other racing officials for the rest of his life.