Yves Saint-Martin

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Yves Saint-Martin
Occupation:	Jockey
Birthplace:	Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, France
Birth date:	September 8, 1941
Career wins:	3314
Major Racing Wins & Honours & Awards
Major Racing Wins
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (4) Grand Prix de Paris (4) Prix de Diane (5) Poule d'Essai des Poulains (5) Poule d'Essai des Pouliches (7) Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud (7) Prix d'Ispahan (7) Prix du Jockey Club (9)
Racing Awards
Leading Jockey in France (15 times)
Significant Horses
Match II, Sassafras, Allez France, Sagace Relko, Rheingold, Dahlia, Exceller

Yves Saint-Martin (born September 8, 1941 in Agen, Lot-et-Garonne, France) is a retired champion jockey in French Thoroughbred horse racing. He is widely considered one of the greatest riders in French racing history.

Saint-Martin won his first race on July 26, 1958 for Mme Suzy Volterra. He went on to be Frances leading jockey fifteen times, winning the tile in 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1981, and 1983.

In his career, Yves Saint-Martin won 3314 races worldwide of which 3275 were in France. He is tied with three others for most wins at four in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe and holds the record for most wins in several other Group One races including the Prix du Jockey Club with nine.

At Laurel Park Racecourse near Baltimore, Maryland, Saint-Martin won the 1962 Washington, D.C. International aboard Match II defeating both Carry Back and the great Kelso.

[edit] Major International Wins

Yves Saint-Martin won a number of prestigious races outside of France including each of the British Classic Races.

Great Britain:

• Epsom Oaks (1962, 1976)
• 2,000 Guineas (1974)
• 1,000 Guineas (1971, 1976)
• Epsom Derby (1963)
• St. Leger Stakes (1976)
• King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes (1962, 1976)

United States:

• Washington, D.C. International (1962)
• Breeders' Cup Turf (1984)
• Breeders' Cup Mile (1986)

Retired, Yves Saint-Martin is an avid collector of vintage automobiles, owing classic models such as the Maserati, Ford Mustang, Rolls Royce, and Aston Martin. His son Eric is also a successful jockey who has raced in France and in Hong Kong.

[edit] References

• Saint-Martin, Yves & François, Jean-Michel. Au galop (1986) Broché ISBN 978-2221043684
• November 23, 1962 TIME magazine article on Yves Saint-Martin and the 1962 Washington, D.C. International