Jerry Bailey

Jerry Bailey is one of the country's best riders.

Bailey is known for a near-flawless technical riding skill and patient execution of strategy. Bailey has won more than 4,500 races during his career. In 1982, Bailey had his first Triple Crown race; he rode in all three races and finished third in the Preakness Stakes aboard. His Triple Crown breakthrough occurred nine years later, when he won the Preakness and Belmont Stakes with Hansel.

The Racing Hall of Fame inducted Bailey in 1985. He won seven Eclipse Awards as leading jockey from 1995 through 1997 and from 2000 through 2003. Then he broke his own records in 2003 for single season earnings of $23.3 million and stakes wins of 70.

Bailey was the leading rider at Gulfstream during the years of 1995, 1996 and 1998. Jerry Bailey has also topped standings several times at Saratoga, Belmont Park, and Keeneland.

Bailey became the first horse rider to pass the $20 million mark in career earnings in 2001, when he mounted Hap to victory in Shadwell Keeneland Turf Mile; Bailey ended that year with the record of $22,015,720 in earnings.

Bailey scored 14 other grade one wins in 2005 aboard 12 different runners: High Fly, Roman Ruler (Haskell), Sand Springs (Diana Handicap), Saint Liam , Shakespeare (Joe Hirsch Turf Classic), First Samurai (Champagne and Hopeful Stakes), Good Reward, Splendid Blended (Vanity Handicap), Stellar Jane (Ruffian Handicap), Summerly (Kentucky Oaks), I’m the Tiger (DeFrancis Dash), and Sweet Symphony.

Bailey won the first two races of Dubai World Cup in 1996 and 1997, and then he won again in 2001. Bailey’s real classic victories are: Kentucky Derby (Sea Hero-1993, Grindstone-1996), Preakness (Hansel-1991, Red Bullet-2000) and Belmont Stakes (Hansel-1991, Empire Maker-2003).

Also, he won the Gulfstream Park Handicap four straight times with the horses (Cigar - 1995; Wekiva Springs - 1996; Mt. Sassafras - 1997; Skip Away - 1998) and he has won the Gulfstream Park Handicap a total of seven times. Bailey captured six straight wins at Belmont.

Bailey teamed with Tom Pedulla of USA TODAY to write his autobiography in which he describes his lifetime battle with alcoholism.