Bill Hartack

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bill Hartack
Sports Illustrated - September 17, 1956
Occupation:	Jockey
Birthplace:	Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Birth date:	December 9, 1932
Career wins:	4,272
Major Racing Wins & Honours & Awards
Major Racing Wins
Woodward Stakes (1954, 1957) Kentucky Oaks (1956) Pimlico Special (1957) Florida Derby (1957, 1958, 1959) Blue Grass Stakes (1964) Wood Memorial Stakes (1964) Queen's Plate (1964) Kentucky Derby (1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1969) Preakness Stakes (1956, 1964, 1969) Belmont Stakes (1960) Santa Anita Derby (1969)
Racing Awards
U.S. Leading Jockey in wins (1955, 1956, 1957, 1960) U.S. Leading Jockey in earnings (1956, 1957)
Honours
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1959)
Significant Horses
Iron Liege, Idun, Tim Tam, Ridan, Northern Dancer, Majestic Prince, Kelso, Round Table
Infobox last updated on: January 29, 2007.

William John Hartack Jr. (born December 9, 1932 in Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, United States) is a Hall of Fame jockey.

Referred to by the media as both "Bill" and "Willie" during his racing career, Hartack grew up on his widowed father's farm in the Blacklick Township area of Cambria County, Pennsylvania. 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, going on to win that honor on three more occasions. 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 two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, Hartack broke a leg and had to give up his ride on Tim Tam, who won the race.

During his riding career between 1953 and 1974 in the United States, Hartack rode 4,272 winners in 21,535 mounts. From 1978 to 1980 he raced in Hong Kong, then retired in 1981.

Hartack made the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in 1956 and again in 1964, plus the cover of Time Magazine in 1958. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1959.

Winners ridden in Triple Crown races :