Many horse lovers dream of becoming successful horse jockeys, but fulfilling this dream is not easy. It takes a lot of hard work, perseverance, sacrifice and devotion to reach the top among the greatest jockeys. It’s these people that are always the talk of the town and they are the ones that the most bets are placed on. In the waiting for sportsbooks such as Harrah’s race and sportsbook to create their online presence, here is a list of 5 most famous horse jockeys in the world.
Cash Asmussen
Asmussen is a true American cowboy. He was born in 1962 in South Dakota and grew up in a horse racing family. His family runs a ranch in Texas and his brother is a successful horse trainer. Asmussen has taken part in races all over the world and has won more than 3000 times mostly with his prize-winning horse Suave Dancer.
Corey S. Nakatani
Born in 1970, Nakatani is the pride of Southern California. He rose to fame at the age of twenty when he won big races with Itsallgreektome. He achieved his best result on October 8, 2011, when he won six races on the same day. Nakatani has won over 3500 races with 738 mounts.
Lester Piggott
Piggott, born in 1935, is a retired jockey from England, famous for being one of the best flat racing jockeys. He earned the nickname “The Long Fellow” because he was taller than the average and 30 pounds lighter than his natural weight as he wanted to have an advantage over his rivals. He is remembered for his highly competitive behavior and for whipping his horse more than necessary sometimes. Piggott has won 4493 races and an annual jockey award, the Lester Award, was named after him in 1990. His most favorite horses are Fleet and Ardross.
Gary Stevens
Stevens was born in 1963 in Idaho and became a professional jockey at the age of 16. He has been a true inspiration to many jockeys and people in general because he has never given up despite his problems. Throughout his career, Stevens has suffered many injuries and had to retire temporarily, but he has kept coming back. So far, he has won over 5000 races and he was inducted to the American Racing Hall of Fame in 1997. His favorite horses are Silver Charm and Victory Gallop.
Bill Shoemaker
Shoemaker is a true legend among professional jockeys. His life began like an origin story from a comic book as he was only 1.1 kg at birth and no one thought he would survive. He started racing as soon as he was able to ride a horse and he became a professional jockey at the age of 18. In his career, he won 8833 races, a record that he kept for 29 years. In 1958, this legendary jockey was inducted to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Shoemaker died in 2003.
