David Erb

David Erb (born November 28, 1923 in York, Nebraska) is a retired jockey and trainer in Thoroughbred horse racing. He started riding as a young farm boy and began his professional riding career in 1938, competing at tracks in his native Nebraska. He got his first win at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

In the June 18, 1955 Californian Stakes at Hollywood Park Racetrack, Dave Erb was the substitute rider for the suspended Bill Shoemaker aboard Swaps. Erb piloted the three-year-old colt to a world record time of 1:40 2/5 for a mile and a sixteenth on dirt.^[1] That same year, Dave Erb became the regular jockey for future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Swoon's Son. Ridden by Erb in all but one of his twenty-two career stakes race wins, they raced primarily at tracks in Chicago and Kentucky

In 1956 Erb won the most important races of his career aboard the future Hall of Fame colt, Needles. After winning the Flamingo Stakes and the Florida Derby, Erb and Needles narrowly missed winning the American Triple Crown. They won the Kentucky Derby, finished second to Fabius in the Preakness Stakes, then won the Belmont Stakes.

After retiring as a jockey in 1960, Dave Erb trained horses. In 1963, he enjoyed great success with the colt Hurry to Market who was voted American Co-Champion Two-Year-Old Colt.

David Erb retired from the industry in 1988. He and wife, Lenni, with whom he had a son, David, settled on a small farm near Greenfield Center, New York. In 2008, Dave Erb became the 29th jockey to add his handprint and signature in cement to the "Gallup to Glory" display at the Galt House hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

References

• Information on Dave Erb and Swoon's Son at Horse-Race-Track.com. article titled 2007 Horse Racing Hall of Fame Inductees
• Re-print of a May 3, 2008 article in The Saratogian
• Article at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame titled Erb to Discuss Winning Ride in 1956 Kentucky Derby