Eddie Arcaro
Eddie Arcaro, born on February 19, 1916, in Cincinnati, Ohio, was a prominent American jockey who overcame early challenges to become one of the greatest in horse racing history. Nicknamed the "shoebox baby" due to his low birth weight, Arcaro faced physical limitations throughout his life but turned these into advantages in the racing world, where his small stature was beneficial. He began his career at a young age, working at local tracks in Kentucky and quickly showing promise despite initial skepticism from employers. His perseverance paid off when he won his first Kentucky Derby in 1938 and later achieved the prestigious Triple Crown in 1941.
Arcaro's career was marked by extraordinary success, including multiple wins at the Kentucky Derby and a record earnings total that made him the top money-winning jockey for six years. Despite a fiery temper that led to suspensions early in his career, he matured into a beloved figure in the sport, known for his intelligence and understanding of horses. After retiring from racing in 1961, he continued to contribute to the horse racing community as a television commentator and author. Eddie Arcaro is remembered as a trailblazer in the sport, illustrating that determination and skill can triumph over physical limitations.
Eddie Arcaro
Jockey
- Born: February 19, 1916
- Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio
- Died: November 14, 1997
- Place of death: Miami, Florida
Sport: Horse racing
Early Life
George Edward Arcaro was born on February 19, 1916, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He weighed only 3 pounds at birth and was called the “shoebox baby.” His father had several small businesses, but his income was modest.
Eddie wanted to play team sports in school but was too small; even as an adult he was only 5 feet 2 inches and weighed about 114 pounds. At the age of eleven, he and his family moved to the horse-racing state of Kentucky. He realized that his small size was an advantage as a jockey. He quit school when he was thirteen and began to exercise horses at Latonia, a local track. Eddie was strong, graceful, and tough. A sledding accident crippled him in 1928, but, contrary to his doctor’s prediction, he quickly walked again. This accident revealed that Eddie had the determination that a great jockey needed.
The Road to Excellence
Eddie’s father wanted him to finish school but gave him one year to prove himself. Although his first two employers said that he would never be a good jockey, Eddie persevered. Horseman Clarence Davison was impressed by Eddie’s willingness to perform all the hard and dirty chores around the stable and his love for horses. Davison put Eddie through years of rigorous schooling. He taught Eddie jockeying techniques: pacing the horse to leave speed at the end of the race, balancing his weight to avoid interfering with his mount’s movements, understanding a horse’s mannerisms, whipping right- or left-handed, and picking the best footing around a track. Horse racing was a rough sport when Eddie started riding. Davison helped Eddie become a scrappy rider who knew every illegal trick in the book, a requirement for a jockey to survive at that time.
Although he started out as a hard rider in a rough sport, intelligence became the hallmark of Eddie’s riding. Furthermore, his hard work began to pay off. At the age of sixteen, Eddie won fourteen races in one week. Observers realized that he had valuable potential. In 1934, Eddie jumped to the big time when he was hired by Calumet Farms. He made $350 a month plus 10 percent of the winnings. From this time on, he worked for the best trainers and racing farms, including Calumet Farms and Greentree Stables.
The Emerging Champion
Eddie’s career was an illustration of the importance of perseverance and determination in achieving success. His early teachers did not consider him a talented natural jockey, but he became great through hard work and intelligence. He proved that what many people consider to be a physical handicap—small size—could be an advantage. His greatest personal victory came in achieving self-control. When Eddie began racing, he had a fierce temper and received many suspensions. In 1942, he was banned for a year from all tracks after a dangerous clash with another jockey during a race. This suspension brought him to his senses. Control of himself and his mount became one of his major strengths as a jockey.
In a short space of ten years, Eddie moved to the top of his sport. His public recognition began on May 7, 1938, when he won his first Kentucky Derby on Lawrin. Year after year, he rode the most famous horses of his day. In 1941, he won horse racing’s greatest prize, the triple crown, by winning the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes, and the Preakness Stakes. He won on Whirlaway, which he called the most exciting horse he ever rode. By 1944, he was regarded as the nation’s top jockey and one of the greatest in history. During this period, Eddie won more than $1 million a year five times. In 1948, he set a record by winning $1,686,330. He won his second Triple Crown in 1948, on Citation, which he said was the greatest horse he ever rode.
Victory after victory followed. He continued to win throughout the 1950’s. Eddie was one of only two jockeys to win the Kentucky Derby five times. In 1955, Eddie and Nashua won the Belmont and Preakness. In 1957, Eddie finished first in the Preakness on Bold Ruler. Eddie Arcaro was horse racing’s top money winner for six years. His purse money totaled $30,039,543.
Continuing the Story
After Eddie achieved control over his temper, he became one of the best-loved figures in racing. He lived quietly and enjoyed his fame and money. Eddie became a multimillionaire and owned three expensive homes. He made investments in oil, had a wholesale saddlery business, and owned a West Coast chain of restaurants. Despite his competitiveness, Eddie became very popular with other jockeys. Some people said that he was self-centered, but the widow of Albert Snider saw another side. Her husband had been chosen to ride Citation in the 1948 Kentucky Derby, but he died in an accident. Eddie rode Citation in his place and won. He split his share of the purse with Mrs. Snider.
Eddie rode in his last race at Pimlico racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, on November 16, 1961. After retiring, he worked as a television commentator on racing events and wrote a book, I Ride to Win! (1951). During his leisure time, Eddie golfed. He brought to that sport all of the energy and intelligence that he displayed in horse racing.
Summary
Eddie Arcaro turned his small size into an asset and became one of the great sportsmen of his time. He combined intelligence, strength, and courage with a special ability to understand horses. Although some believed his natural talent was limited, hard work made him a master of his profession. He started as a scrappy, competitive rider but became known as the “gentleman jockey.” Eddie was called the most famous man to ride a horse in the United States since Paul Revere.
Bibliography
Arcaro, Eddie. I Ride to Win! New York: Greenberg, 1951.
Cannon, Jimmy. “Arcaro a Gentleman Horseman.” New York Post, September 8, 2002, p. 111.
Chew, Peter. The Kentucky Derby: The First One Hundred Years. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1974.
Claypool, Jim. “Eddie Arcaro Rode Hard, Fast, to Win.” Cincinnati Post, May 1, 2006, p. B3.
Kindred, Dave. “Horse Racing’s Little Big Man.” Sporting News 221, no. 47 (November 24, 1997): 7.
Nack, William. “The Headiest Horseman.” Sports Illustrated 87, no. 21 (November 24, 1997): 21-22.
Platt, Jim, and James Buckley. Sports Immortals: Stories of Inspiration and Achievement. Chicago: Triumph Books, 2002.