George Wolfe’s profession as a jockey was not lengthy by historic requirements.
He lasted solely 18 years from 1928 till his tragic loss of life in 1946 on the age of 35, and rode simply 3,784 instances, a determine surpassed in three years by modern-day profitable jockey Russell Bayes.
However in lower than 20 years, Wolfe has achieved such success and a degree of respect greatest mirrored in his inclusion in 1955 as one of many first members of the Horse Racing Corridor of Fame.
To today, practically 80 years after his loss of life, Wolff stays one in every of Thoroughbred racing’s most well-known and revered jockeys.
Wolfe was born in Canada on Might 31, 1910, and grew up in an equestrian household. His mom was a circus trick rider and his father a rodeo rider.
As an adolescent, he started competing in rodeo occasions in his dwelling province of Alberta and in addition began using racehorses.
He first raced in 1928 and inside 4 years was an everyday at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
His landmark wins included the 1932 Capital Handicap at Hygro’s Laurel Park and the 1933 Agua Caliente Handicap at Gallant Sir.
Within the late Thirties and early Nineteen Forties, Wolfe grew to become a number one jockey in California, profitable a lot of the circuit’s main races.
He gained the Santa Anita Handicap, America’s first $100,000 stakes, in 1935, after which gained the Hollywood Gold Cup three years in a row from 1938 to 1940.
As Wolf’s legend grew, he grew to become well-known for having an ideal means to maneuver his horse on the proper time. In line with information reviews on the time, Wolff, nicknamed “Iceman” for his cool and skillful horsemanship, hardly ever misplaced a photograph end within the stakes throughout his time at Santa Anita.
He rode champions akin to Cavalcade, Challedon, Kayak II, Pompoon, Alsab, Askmenow, Busher, By Jiminy, Satan Diver, Durazna, Mar-Kell, Market Smart, Pavot, Whirlaway, and naturally Seabiscuit.
Wolff’s most well-known race happened in 1938, when he rode Seabiscuit within the Pimlico Particular instead of the injured “Crimson” Pollard. This particular was a match race with 1937 Triple Crown winner Struggle Admiral.
When Wolfe first took over the using earlier that yr, he rode Seabiscuit and got here again from 14th in a subject of 18 to lose by a nostril within the Santa Anita Handicap. Nevertheless, Wolfe rode very in a different way from Seabiscuit in subsequent races. In a match race with Ligaloti at Del Mar in August 1938, Wolf and Seabiscuit fought for the early lead and gained by a nostril in an exciting battle.
Three months later on the Pimlico Particular, Wolfe extracted sufficient early pace from Seabiscuit to take the lead. Struggle Admiral joined him on the backstretch and the 2 became the stretch, with Seabiscuit heroically pulling away from the favourite Triple Crown winner to win by 4 lengths.
Many years later, the Pimlico Particular and Wolfe’s car performed a central function within the 2003 movie “Seabiscuit.” Corridor of Fame rider Gary Stevens performs Wolf within the movie, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Greatest Image.
Throughout the Nineteen Forties, Wolfe spent a part of the yr using in New York, including races such because the Jockey Membership Gold Cup, Metropolitan Handicap, Belmont Futurity, Saratoga Particular, Hopeful, and Teaching Membership American Oaks to his laurels.
However amidst his success on the racetrack, Wolff fought an extended battle with diabetes. That makes his accomplishments much more good. As a result of Wolff needed to watch his weight and preserve his energy, he spent most of his profession using round 4 or 5 races every week, or about 200 races a yr, and solely gained 721 races.
Insulin helped Wolfe combat the illness, however the remedy additionally had unwanted side effects that might make him dizzy at instances, and on unhealthy days might have killed him.
On January 3, 1946, at Santa Anita, Wolfe agreed to experience a horse referred to as Please Me for a good friend, despite the fact that he was ill. I immediately fell off the horse within the first flip. He hit the bottom with such power that he suffered a deadly concussion and died the subsequent day.
Because the racing world mourns the lack of one in every of its biggest stars, nobody might clarify why Wolfe fell. In line with reviews, he handed out after his lengthy battle with diabetes resulted in a totally tragic manner.
Shocked by Wolff’s passing, the game honored its fallen champion in quite a lot of methods.
A life-sized bronze statue of Wolf was positioned close to the Strolling Ring at Santa Anita.
In 1950, Santa Anita established the annual George Wolfe Memorial Jockey Award in George Wolfe’s honor to honor a jockey whose profession and private character have distinguished the person and the game of Thoroughbred horse racing. Nonetheless thought-about one of many sport’s biggest honors, Stephens, who performed Wolf within the movie, is among the many many notable Wolf Award recipients.
To today, the reminiscences of “Iceman” nonetheless burn brightly. In lots of components of the racing business, listening to his title nonetheless evokes reminiscences of a gifted rider whose time on the racetrack could have been reduce heartbreakingly brief, however who stays utterly unforgettable.
george wolfe
Birthplace: Cardston, Alberta
date of start: Might 31, 1910
loss of life: January 4, 1946
honor: He was the primary individual to be inducted into the Horse Racing Corridor of Fame and can also be a member of the Canadian Sports activities Corridor of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Corridor of Fame. The George Wolfe Memorial Jockey Award was created to acknowledge a jockey whose profession and private character encourage respect for the person and the game of Thoroughbred racing. A life-sized bronze statue was erected in his honor close to the Strolling Ring in Santa Anita Park.
