Gary L. Stevens

Biography

Gary Stevens won his first race in 1979 at Les Bois Park in his home state of Idaho, then moved to the Northwest, where he was the leading rider at Longacres in Washington from 1981 through 1984. Once he transitioned to the larger circuits, primarily in Southern California, Stevens became a superstar and one of racing's most popular figures.

Stevens won each of the Triple Crown races three times. He won the Kentucky Derby with Hall of Fame filly Winning Colors (1988), Thunder Gulch (1995), and Hall of Famer Silver Charm (1997); the Preakness with Silver Charm (1997), Hall of Famer Point Given (2001), and Oxbow (2013); and the Belmont with Thunder Gulch (1995), Victory Gallop (1998), and Point Given (2001).

The winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 1998, Stevens twice led all North American riders in earnings and won 11 races at the Breeders’ Cup.

In 2013, after being in retirement for seven years, Stevens won both the Breeders’ Cup Classic (Mucho Macho Man) and Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Beholder), in addition to his thrilling Preakness victory earlier in the year. In 2016, he once again teamed up with four-time champion Beholder to win the Distaff.

Other top horses ridden by Stevens included Hall of Famers Serena’s Song and Silverbulletday, among others.

Stevens also won a record nine runnings of the Santa Anita Derby, and in 1993 became the youngest jockey to surpass $100 million in career earnings. He won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1996 and the Mike Venezia Award in 1999. Other notable races won by Stevens included the Travers Stakes (twice), Kentucky Oaks (twice), Santa Anita Handicap (four times), Arlington Million (twice), Pacific Classic (twice), Jockey Club Gold Cup, Eddie Read Handicap (twice), Del Mar Debutante Stakes (four times), Japan Cup, Canadian International Stakes (twice), and the Dubai World Cup.

Stevens retired in 2018 with 5,187 North American wins and purse earnings of $258,217,768. He also thrived internationally, winning major races in England, France, and Hong Kong.

Along with his success on the track, Stevens has also earned praise as an actor and television commentator. He portrayed Hall of Fame jockey George Woolf in the film “Seabiscuit,” starred in the HBO series "Luck," and has done racing analysis for NBC Sports, among others. 

Achievements

Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey — 1998

North America's leading rider in earnings — 1990, 1998

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the 1988 Kentucky Derby — Winning Colors
Won the 1995 Kentucky Derby — Thunder Gulch
Won the 1997 Kentucky Derby — Silver Charm
Won the 1997 Preakness Stakes — Silver Charm
Won the 2001 Preakness Stakes — Point Given
Won the 2013 Preakness Stakes — Oxbow
Won the 1995 Belmont Stakes — Thunder Gulch
Won the 1998 Belmont Stakes — Victory Gallop
Won the 2001 Belmont Stakes — Point Given

Breeders' Cup Highlights

Won the 1990 Turf — In the Wings
Won the 1993 Juvenile — Brocco
Won the 1994 Distaff — One Dreamer
Won the 1996 Mile — Da Hoss
Won the 1998 Juvenile Fillies — Silverbulletday
Won the 1998 Distaff — Escena
Won the 1999 Juvenile — Anees
Won the 2000 Mile — War Chant
Won the 2013 Distaff — Beholder
Won the 2013 Classic — Mucho Macho Man
Won the 2016 Distaff — Beholder