Jerry D. Bailey

Biography

A seven-time Eclipse Award winner, Jerry Bailey won 5,894 races in his career, including two wins in each Triple Crown race and 15 Breeders’ Cup victories.

A native of Dallas, Texas, Bailey began riding quarter horses at the age of 12 and started riding thoroughbreds competitively at 17 in 1974. Based primarily in New York and Florida, Baily won 216 Grade 1 races in his career (a record at the time of his retirement), 16 riding titles in New York, and earned more than $296 million, second only to Pat Day at the time of Bailey’s retirement.

In the Triple Crown series, Baily won the Kentucky Derby with Sea Hero (1993) and Grindstone (1996); the Preakness with Hansel (1991) and Red Bullet (2000); and the Belmont with Hansel (1991) and Empire Maker (2003). Bailey’s 15 Breeders’ Cup wins include five editions of the Classic — Black Tie Affair (1991), Arcangues (at odds of 133-1 in 1993), Concern (1994), Cigar (1995), and Saint Liam (2005) — a record he shares with Hall of Famer Chris McCarron.

Bailey had multiple victories in numerous significant races, including the Travers (1986, 1993, 2002), Whitney (1992, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003), Hopeful (1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2005), Kentucky Oaks (1993, 2001, 2005), Dubai World Cup (1996, 1997, 2001, 2002), Jockey Club Gold Cup (1995, 1997, 2001), Hollywood Gold Cup (1992, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2003), Jaipur (1984, 1991, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2002), Pimlico Special (1995, 1997, 2001), and Arlington Million (2000, 2002), among others.

Bailey rode Hall of Famer Cigar to 16 consecutive victories from October of 1994 into the summer of 1996. The wins included the Oaklawn Handicap, Gulfstream Park Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Pimlico Special, Breeders’ Cup Classic, Woodward Stakes, and two runnings of both the Donn and Massachusetts handicaps.

In 1995, Bailey won the first of three consecutive Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey. He then won the award four consecutive years from 2000 through 2003. He also received the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1992.

Achievements

Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey — 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003

North America's leading rider in earnings — 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2003

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the 1993 Kentucky Derby — Sea Hero
Won the 1996 Kentucky Derby — Grindstone
Won the 1991 Preakness Stakes — Hansel
Won the 2000 Preakness — Red Bullet 
Won the 1991 Belmont Stakes — Hansel
Won the 2003 Belmont Stakes — Empire Maker

Breeders' Cup Highlights

Won the 1991 Classic — Black Tie Affair
Won the 1993 Classic — Arcangues 
Won the 1994 Classic — Concern
Won the 1995 Classic — Cigar
Won the 1995 Juvenile Fillies — My Flag
Won the 1996 Juvenile — Boston Harbor
Won the 1998 Juvenile — Answer Lively
Won the 1999 Filly and Mare Turf — Soaring Softly
Won the 1999 Juvenile Fillies — Cash Run
Won the 2000 Filly and Mare Turf — Perfect Sting
Won the 2000 Juvenile — Macho Uno
Won the 2001 Sprint — Squirtle Squirt
Won the 2002 Sprint — Orientate
Won the 2003 Mile — Six Perfections
Won the 2005 Classic — Saint Liam