Age, Biography and Wiki

Bill Shoemaker was born on 19 August, 1931 in Fabens, Texas, United States, is an American record-holding jockey (1931–2003). Discover Bill Shoemaker's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 72 years old?

Popular As N/A
Occupation Jockey
Age 72 years old
Zodiac Sign Leo
Born 19 August, 1931
Birthday 19 August
Birthplace Fabens, Texas, United States
Date of death 12 October, 2003
Died Place San Marino, California, United States
Nationality United States

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 19 August. He is a member of famous jockey with the age 72 years old group.

Bill Shoemaker Height, Weight & Measurements

At 72 years old, Bill Shoemaker height not available right now. We will update Bill Shoemaker's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
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Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

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Bill Shoemaker Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Bill Shoemaker worth at the age of 72 years old? Bill Shoemaker’s income source is mostly from being a successful jockey. He is from United States. We have estimated Bill Shoemaker's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income jockey

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Timeline

1931

William Lee Shoemaker (August 19, 1931 – October 12, 2003) was an American jockey, considered one of the greatest.

For 29 years he held the world record for the most professional jockey victories.

Referred to as "Bill", "Willie," and "The Shoe", William Lee Shoemaker was born in the town of Fabens, Texas.

At 38 oz, Shoemaker was so small at birth that he was not expected to survive the night.

Put in a shoebox on the oven to stay warm, he survived, but remained small, growing to 4 ft and weighing 91 lb. His diminutive size proved an asset as he went on to become a giant in thoroughbred horse racing, despite dropping out of El Monte High School in El Monte, California.

1949

Shoemaker's career as a jockey began in his teenage years, with his first professional ride on March 19, 1949.

The first of his eventual 8,833 career victories came a month later, on April 20, aboard Shafter V, at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, California.

1951

In 1951, he won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award.

At the age of 19, he was making so much money (as much as $2,500 each week) the Los Angeles Superior Court appointed attorney Horace Hahn as his guardian, with the consent of his parents.

Thirty years later, he won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in the United States.

Shoemaker won eleven Triple Crown races during his career, spanning four different decades, but the Crown itself eluded him.

The breakdown of these wins is as follows:

Two of Shoemaker's most noted rides were in the Kentucky Derby.

1957

He lost the 1957 Kentucky Derby aboard Gallant Man, when he stood up in the stirrups too soon, having misjudged the finish line, where Gallant Man finished second to Iron Liege, ridden by Bill Hartack.

1970

When Shoemaker earned his 6,033rd victory in September 1970, he broke jockey Johnny Longden's record.

1976

The Marlboro Cup of 1976 at Belmont Park proved to be maybe his greatest racing achievement, and it was upon the mighty Forego.

Forego's drive started from eighth position out of eleven horses on the backstretch.

It culminated with a tremendous charge through the muddy middle-of-the-track stretch run, leading to a victory by a nose over the dead-game Honest Pleasure.

Shoemaker was quoted as saying that Forego was the best horse he had ever ridden.

1979

Shoemaker rode three-time champion Spectacular Bid in the horse's final 13 races from 1979 to 1980 losing only once during that stretch.

1980

This included Spectacular Bid's perfect nine for nine 1980 season, culminating in a walkover in the Woodward Stakes.

1986

At the 1986 Kentucky Derby, Shoemaker became the oldest jockey ever to win the race (at age 54) aboard the 18-1 outsider Ferdinand.

The following year, he rode Ferdinand to a victory over Alysheba in the Breeders' Cup Classic; Ferdinand later captured Horse of the Year honors.

Shoemaker rode the popular California horse Silky Sullivan, about which he is quoted as saying: "You just had to let him run his race ... and if he decided to win it, you'd better hold on because you'd be moving faster than a train."

1988

In his autobiography Shoemaker (1988) he called Spectacular Bid the greatest horse he rode in his storied career.

1990

Win number 8,833, Shoemaker's last, came at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Florida, on January 20, 1990, aboard Beau Genius.

Two weeks later, on February 3, Shoemaker rode his last race on Patchy Groundfog, at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.

He finished fourth, in front of a record crowd, to Eddie Delahoussaye, on Exemplary Leader.

All told, Bill Shoemaker rode in a record 40,350 races.

In 1990, he was voted the Mike Venezia Memorial Award for "extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship".

Soon after retiring as a jockey in 1990, Shoemaker returned to the track as a trainer, where he had modest success, training for such clients as Gulfstream magnate Allen Paulson and composer Burt Bacharach.

1991

Shoemaker was involved in a solo drunk-driving car crash on April 8, 1991, in San Dimas, California, when he rolled over the Ford Bronco II he was driving.

The accident left him paralyzed from the neck down, and he thereafter used a wheelchair.

Even though a blood sample drawn 98 minutes after he entered the hospital showed his blood-alcohol at .13, above California's legal limit of .08, Shoemaker did not accept blame for the crash.

He sued the California Department of Transportation for not installing guard rails along the highway and Ford Motor Company for faulty vehicle design.

Ford settled with Shoemaker for $1,000,000.

Shoemaker authored three murder mysteries.

1997

He continued to train racehorses until his retirement on November 2, 1997.

His final stats as a trainer were 90 wins from 714 starters and earnings of $3.7 million.

1999

In 1999, Shoemaker's own record of 8,833 career victories was broken by Panamanian-born Laffit Pincay Jr..; in 2006 Russell Baze tied Pincay's record.