If horse racing is justifiably nicknamed “Sport of the Kings”, then we can legitimately say that behind every great racehorse there’s a rider whose skills and strategies defined some of the sport’s most memorable moments.

Undeniably, there’s a whole crew of people behind the success of every horse, like owners and trainers, but many forget the value of a good jockey who is capable of making quick decisions in a split second.  Determining when to push, or hold back the horse, and controlling the movements of a thousand-pound athlete running 40 mph takes a great deal of self-esteem and mental strength.

While racing fans enjoy the thrill from the trackside or follow the action online on Stake.com which brings an electrifying mood to fans across the world, jockeys are the ones who, in the end, must tie up all the hard work behind the track and bring the victory home. For their courage, they are often celebrated as heroes of the races, but sometimes their role falls into the shadow of triumph, covered by excitement and the heat of the battle.

For centuries, many riders carved their name in the history of the sport by breaking records and forming unbreakable bonds with some of the most famous thoroughbreds. So, let’s remember some of the famous jockeys that left their heart and soul on the track, and give credit where the credit’s due.

Lester Piggott (United Kingdom)

Lester Piggott is the absolute legend of horse racing. Standing unusually tall for a jockey, at 5’8” he was quickly nicknamed “The Long Fellow”. His career lasted for five decades, during which he piled up more than 4,400 wins. Piggott was widely respected as one would imagine mostly for his impeccable timing and utter control of the horse during the race. The iconic rider formed tight relationships throughout his career, but the most notable ones were with the trainer Vincent O’Brien and two legendary horses, Nijinsky, who is often regarded as the greatest racehorse of all time, and Ser Ivor.

Lester Piggott passed away in 2022, leaving a great legacy behind him. His daughter Tracy Piggott followed, partially, in her father’s footsteps becoming first the galloper, and later a horse racing broadcaster for the Irish national TV, RTE.

The Piggott family has been part of the horse racing sport since the 18th century. Ernest Piggott, Lester’s grandfather, was a jockey who won Grand National in 1912, 1918 and 1919. Keith Piggott, Lester’s father, was a horse trainer in the 1960s.

Some of the most outstanding victories include:

• 9 Epsom Derby wins a record that still hasn’t been broken. The most famous race happened in 1970 with Nijinsky.
• 116 Royal Ascot victories, a record that still stands to this day.
• 5 The 2000 Guineas wins, and 8-time winner of St. Leger Stakes.

Bill Shoemaker (United States)

Bill Shoemaker, commonly known as “The Shoe”, is probably one of the most famous American jockeys. He used his small build, standing at just 4’11” tall and weighing less than 100 pounds, to navigate large, strong horses straight through the finish line. Shoemaker was known for his flexibility and stamina, and effortless steering of the animals, managing their power with grace and grit.

Shoemaker’s favorite horse was Spectacular Bid, whom he rode in 1979 and 1980. During 13 races, the duo lost only one. In his autobiography, Bill called Spectacular Bid the greatest horse he’s ever seen. His career stretched for forty years, during which he had a staggering 8,833 wins. Shoemaker was instituted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1958, with Andy Warhol immortalizing his portrait back in the 1970s.

In 1990 Bill Shoemaker retired from racing but stayed in the sport as a trainer with modest results. Soon after he had a car accident that left him paralyzed from the neck down, and he spent his last years in a wheelchair. Shoemaker died in 2003, age 72 from natural causes. He had two adopted children, a son and a daughter.

Some of his best races include:

• 4 Kentucky Derby wins
• 5 wins at Belmont Stakes

In 1987, Shoemaker made history as the oldest rider ever at 56 years of age riding Ferdinand and winning at Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Frankie Dettori (Italy)

Lanfranco “Frankie” Dettori is an Italian jockey who raced under the British flag for over 35 years. He is known as one of the most entertaining riders with his quick wits and flying dismounts. Even if you have never watched a horse race in your life, you probably heard about the legendary Frankie the jockey. His father Gianfranco Dettori was a famous Italian jockey, and his mother Mara was a circus performer, so Frankie got all the genetic material he needed to become one of the world’s best riders.

Besides racing, Dettori tapped into show business, appearing in the TV show “A Question of Sport”. He also proved to be a savvy business owner, opening restaurants across Italy with his chef friend Marco White.

After all ventures, Frankie ranked in 2022 as the richest jockey with a net worth of around $155 million.

His racing achievements include:

• Iconic “Magnificent Seven” in 1996, when he won all seven races on a single card at Ascot, a feat that earned him instant legend status.
• 3 Epsom Derby, 6 1000 Guineas, and 6 2000 Guineas victories.
• Dubai World Cup, Breeders’ Cup and an amazing six triumphs at Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

Yutaka Take (Japan)

Yutaka Take is a national hero in his home country. This 56-year old jockey began his career in 1987 and went on to win almost 5,000 races. He is known for his professionalism, and discipline, being that he comes from a family of jockeys. His father, Kunihiko Take was a jockey, as well as his brother Koshiro who later switched to training.

Take, nicknamed “The Wizard of the Turf”, made a huge impact on horse racing in Japan. His records speak for him:

• Winner of the Japanese Triple Crown with Deep Impact, one of the most famous and adored horses in Japanese history.
• Take was also the first Japanese to win in seven countries, including the US, France and Hong Kong.
• 10 titles of the Japan Racing Association

Yutaka Take brought horse racing into Asia, giving the young jockeys hope of achieving success in the sport. Horse racing is usually closely connected to the UK, Ireland and the US, but Take managed to popularize the sport across the Asian continent. This is probably his biggest accomplishment, regardless of all the titles, championships and trophies.

His country of Japan, as well as his family, expressed pride many times over his success and what he did for the sport in general.

Mike Smith (United States)

Mike Smith is a living legend in the United States in the sport of horse racing. This 59-year-old jockey is still active without any plans to retire any time soon. Mike earned the nickname “Big Money Mike” for his performances in high stakes races where he mostly won.

Smith was predestined to go into the horse racing world. His father was a jockey, but after his parents’ divorce, Mike lived at his grandma’s horse farm where he started training and breaking horses when he was 8 years old. From then on, his whole life was about horses, racing and winning.

Mike Smith won just about anything there is to win in the sport with over 5,000 victories.

• United States Triple Crown, Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes.
• 27 Breeders’ Cup wins, the absolute record that still stands today.
• Dubai Cup, Irish 2000 Guineas, and many more.

Ridden champions such as Zenyatta, Songbird, and Arrogate, horses that were cherished and respected by everyone in the sport.

Pat Day (United States)

Patrick Alan “Pat” Day is an American rider with almost 9,000 wins in his long career. Pat retired in 2005 but stayed active in the sport focusing on the Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy and helping to establish a chapel at Churchill Downs that services backstretch workers.

Day was known for a specific strategy that he applied in almost every race. He would not push his horse to its limits until the final stretch. This spared horses from injuries and unnecessary strain and gave him an edge against other riders.

Day was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1991, long before his retirement which speaks volumes on how respected he was in the community. However, in the early days of his career, in the early 1980s, he struggled with addiction but became a born-again Christian. Since then, Pat Day stayed on the straight path and has become one of the main donors to churches and other religious institutions. His wife, Sheila, is also active in charities, especially helping young mothers in Kentucky state.

In 2016 Pat Day was appointed to the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

He had many victories in his career, but some are more special than others:

• Winner of 9 Triple Crown races, including the 1992 Kentucky Derby with the horse Lil E. Tee.
• 12 titles at Churchill Downs.

Gordon Richards (United Kingdom)

Before the UK had Lester Piggott, there was Gordon Richards paving the way for generations to come. Richards was racing from the 1920s to 1950s and was one of the most prominent jockeys of his time. His success in sports compiles of:

• A record Champion Jockey in Britain, winning 26 times.
• Having over 4,800 victories, a record in Britain.
• After many misses in the Epsom Derby, Richards finally snatched the trophy in 1953 aboard Pinza.

Regardless of all his achievements, the most important one was when Richards was knighted in 1953, becoming the first jockey to ever receive this honor. This is a pure demonstration of power in the sport and validation of all his efforts and triumphs.

Jerry Bailey (United States)

Jerry D. Bailey is a retired American Hall of Fame jockey. Lately, he found his calling as an NBC Sports thoroughbred racing analyst. His career began in the early 1970s and spanned over several decades, retiring in 2006. Bailey has had many victories and a few controversies following him throughout his work like the Belmont in 2004 when he was highly criticized by experts and the fans for denying the victory to Smarty Jones robbing him of a Triple Crown.

However, for the most part he was a very respected jockey with many triumphs in his career.

• 6 Breeders’ Cup Classic, the most any rider has ever won.
• 2 victories at the Kentucky Derby, including the one with Sea Hero in 1993.

These days, the 67-year old legendary jockey remains one of the most prominent figures in the sport. He remains active by commentating on horse racing, and being in the loop with new horses, trainers and owners. His alliance with Cigar, a highly respected and one of the most famous and dominant horses in the American history of sport, can serve as the Hollywood script for a blockbuster.

John Velazquez (Puerto Rico/United States)

Born in Puerto Rico, this rider quickly caught the eye of American trainers and owners and moved to the US when he was 19 years old. Velazquez became one of the most successful jockeys of the 21st century, known primarily for his work ethic, and is still active as a veteran jockey. Velazquez recently criticized the entire community of horse racing saying that they tend to work against each other more often than working together in promoting sport. He also said that the need to get the dirty laundry of other stables is something that needs to end in horse racing since it influences the sport, its popularity, its fan base and the people working in the industry.

Some of his major wins include:

• 2 Kentucky Derby victories. One was on Always Dreaming in 2017, and the other was with his favorite horse Animal Kingdom, in 2011.
• 2-time winner of the Belmont Stakes, in 2007, and 2012.
• More than 15 Breeders’ Cup wins.

In all, Velazquez has over 6,000 wins and he is not done yet. This jockey is still riding.