Racing History Highlights – Mar 6-19

March 6, 1965: Jockey Earlie Fires rode his first winner, Carnation Kid,
at Oaklawn Park. By year?’s end, Fires had amassed nearly $600,000 in
purse earnings to earn the title of champion apprentice jockey.

March 6, 1988: Julie Krone became the winningest female jockey in racing
history when she won the 1,205th race of her career riding a filly named
Squawter in the ninth race at Aqueduct Racetrack.

March 8, 1987: Carrying 126 pounds, Zany Tactics set the world record
for six furlongs, 1:06 4/5, at Turf Paradise. On Feb. 21, 1993, his time
was equaled by Honor the Hero, also at Turf Paradise.

March 8, 1985: Chris McCarron rode his 4,000th career winner, Hawkley
(GB), in the fifth race at Santa Anita Park.

March 9, 1977: Seattle Slew made his three-year-old debut, at Hialeah.
He won a seven-furlong race in 1:20 3/5, breaking the track record.

March 10, 1808: Diomed, the winner of the inaugural Epsom Derby in 1780,
died in Virginia at age 31. He had been imported to the U.S. 10 years
earlier and subsequently became an influential sire.

March 10, 1993: At age 41, jockey Eddie Delahoussaye had his 5,000th
career winner, aboard Ackler in the fifth race at Santa Anita Park. He
was the 14th rider in North American Thoroughbred racing to reach that
plateau.

March 11, 1943: After siring 350 foals that won over $3 million,
26-year-old Man o?’ War was retired from stud duty.

March 12, 1966: In the last race of his 40-year career, John Longden won
the San Juan Capistrano Handicap at Santa Anita Park, aboard George
Royal. He retired with a then-record number of victories, 6,032.

March 13, 2000: According to the ESPN Sports Poll, consumer interest in
Thoroughbred racing increased by 3.1 percent among people 18 and older
during the previous two years.

March 14, 1941: Merrick died at age 38, establishing the longevity
record for a Thoroughbred.

March 14, 1973: In his final preparation for the March 17 Bay Shore
Stakes, the first race of his three-year-old season, Secretariat worked
three furlongs in a blistering :32 3/5.

March 14, 1976: Bill Shoemaker won his 7,000th career victory, aboard
Charlie Whittingham-trained Royal Derby II, in the fifth race at Santa
Anita Park.

March 14, 1987: Jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. became the first rider in the
history of Santa Anita Park to win seven races in a single afternoon. In
his only loss of the day, Pincay finished third aboard Bob Back in the
eighth race.

March 17, 1973: In his three-year-old debut, Secretariat won the Bay
Shore Stakes at Aqueduct by 4 ?? lengths.

March 17, 2000: Trainer Hubert ?”Sonny?” Hine, trainer of 1998 Horse of
the Year Skip Away, passed away after a long illness at age 69.

March 18, 2001: Zippy Chippy beat a Standardbred horse named Paddy?’s
Lady at Freehold Raceway. Because the race was an exhibition, Zippy
Chippy officially maintained his record of 89 starts without a victory.

March 19, 1942: The Thoroughbred Racing Associations of the United
States was formed, with John C. Clark as president.

March 19, 1949: Jockey Bill Shoemaker rode his first career race, at
Golden Gate Fields. He finished fifth, aboard Waxahachie, in an
eight-horse field.

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