Jerry Bailey

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Jerry Bailey
Image:JerryBaileyBookcover.jpg
Against The Odds – Jerry Bailey (2005)
Occupation: Jockey
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States
Birth date: August 29, 1957
Career wins: 5,892
Major Racing Wins & Honours & Awards
Major Racing Wins
New York Handicap Triple (1984)
Dubai World Cup (1996, 1997, 2001, 2002)
Prince of Wales's Stakes (2000)
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (1995, 1999)
Breeders' Cup Juvenile (1996, 1998, 2000)
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (1999, 2000)
Breeders' Cup Sprint (2001, 2002)
Breeders' Cup Mile (2003)
Breeders' Cup Classic (1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2005)
Hollywood Gold Cup (1992, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2003)
Pimlico Special (1995, 1997, 2001)
Jockey Club Gold Cup (1995, 1997, 2001)
Arlington Million (2000, 2002)
Kentucky Oaks (1993, 2001, 2005)
Kentucky Derby (1993, 1996)
Preakness Stakes (1991, 2000)
Belmont Stakes (1991, 2003)
Racing Awards
George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award (1992)
Mike Venezia Memorial Award (1993)
United States Champion Jockey by earnings
(1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Big Sport of Turfdom Award (1996)
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
(1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)
Honours
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1995)
Significant Horses
Black Tie Affair, Sea Hero, Fit to Fight, Cigar
Arcangues, My Flag, Skip Away, Royal Anthem
Hansel, Real Quiet, Six Perfections, Grindstone
Concern, Congaree, Empire Maker, Saint Liam

Infobox last updated on: January 30, 2007.

Jerry D. Bailey (born August 29, 1957 in Dallas, Texas) is a retired American Hall of Fame jockey. He began his racing career in 1974 with a win on his first mount, Fetch, at New Mexico's Sunland Park, and has gone on to win 5,892 races. Among his numerous wins, he can boast the New York Handicap Triple in 1984, six victories in American Classic Races races, and a record 15 wins in Breeders' Cup races, including five Breeders' Cup Classics. Three of his Breeders' Cup Classic wins were consecutive (1993-1995). Bailey is perhaps most famous among racing fans as the regular rider of 1990s great Cigar.

In his 2005 book titled Against The Odds, Bailey wrote about his battles with alcohol that affected a large part of his early career.

When the 2003 Thoroughbred racing Eclipse Awards were handed out on January 26, 2004, Jerry Bailey was proclaimed the outstanding jockey in North America for an unprecedented seventh time (19951997 and 20002003); in 1997 he had been the first jockey to win three consecutive Eclipse Awards.

Bailey was selected for the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, arguably the top lifetime achievement award for North American jockeys, in 1992. In 1993, he was voted the Mike Venezia Memorial Award for "extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship". He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1995.

He announced his retirement on January 19, 2006 at the age of 46 with his last race on January 28. His 5,892 wins which places him 15th on the all-time list, and his mounts have earned more than $295 million, good for second all time. Pat Day leads with nearly $298 million. Bailey currently is involved in racing in a number of capacities, most notably as a commentator for ESPN at major televised races.


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