Steve Cauthen

Biography

The career of Steve Cauthen was a study in the unprecedented. A native of Covington, Kentucky, Cauthen as a teenager partnered with Hall of Famer Affirmed through arguably the most dramatic of Triple Crown sweeps in 1978. The previous year, Cauthen set a North American earnings record of more than $6 million while still an apprentice, and he also reigned that year as the champion rider in wins with 487.

Cauthen, at the age of 16, rode his first race on May 12, 1976, at Churchill Downs, finishing last. Success, however, came quickly. He rode his first winner (Red Pipe) less than a week later at River Downs. In only his second year of riding, he became the first jockey with $6 million in purse earnings in a single season, passing that mark in December of 1977 on a 3-year-old filly named Little Happiness at Aqueduct. After that, he was called “The Six Million Dollar Man” and “Stevie Wonder.” In 1977, Cauthen won numerous awards, including Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, Sporting News Sportsman of the Year, Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year, and ABC’s Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year. In the same year, he won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey and the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey.

Following the path of earlier Hall of Famers such as Tod Sloan and Danny Maher, Cauthen moved to Europe, where he so effectively adapted to different riding styles that he was England’s champion jockey in 1984, 1985, and 1987. He won the historic Epsom Derby on Slip Anchor in 1985 and Reference Point in 1987 among his total of 10 wins in English classics. His other English classic wins came in the St. Leger (1985, 1987, 1989), Epsom Oaks (1985, 1988, 1989), 2,000 Guineas (1979), and 1,000 Gunieas (1985).

Traveling frequently, Cauthen became the first rider to win the combination of the Irish Derby, French Derby, Italian Derby, Epsom Derby, and Kentucky Derby. He also won the storied Ascot Gold Cup, as well as the Champion Stakes, Eclipse Stakes, Hopeful Stakes, United Nations, Grosser Prix von Vaden Baden, and King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Other notable races won by Cauthen include the Whitney Handicap, Hopeful Stakes, Sanford Stakes, Futurity Stakes, Laurel Futurity, San Felipe Stakes, Jim Dandy Stakes, United Nations Handicap, Ascot Gold Cup (twice), Middle Park Stakes (four times), and Grand Prix de Paris (twice).

Cauthen won 954 races in North America and 2,794 worldwide.

Achievements

Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey — 1977
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey — 1977

North America's leading rider in earnings — 1977
North America's leading rider in wins — 1977

Triple Crown Highlights

Won the 1978 Kentucky Derby — Affirmed
Won the 1978 Preakness Stakes — Affirmed
Won the 1978 Belmont Stakes — Affirmed 

Other Highlights

Won the St. Leger Stakes — 1985, 1987, 1989
Won the Epsom Oaks — 1985, 1988, 1989
Won the Epson Derby — 1985, 1987
Won the 2,000 Guineas — 1979
Won the 1,000 Guineas — 1985
Won the Irish Derby — 1989
Won the French Derby — 1989