Coming Soon...

On January 23, 2009, the Kentucky Derby Museum announced that the private collection of legendary jockey Bill Shoemaker would be permanently housed at the Museum. The collection includes Shoemaker’s personal memorabilia, scrapbooks, photos, awards and numerous trophies. Many of the pieces will be conserved before display in a large exhibit opening in April of 2010 celebrating the exciting career of the first jockey to break a million dollars in money earned. A temporary exhibit is currently on display on the first floor of the museum.

Shoemaker’s daughter Amanda was on hand to turn the collection over to the Kentucky Derby Museum, “I’m honored that my father’s historic accomplishments will be enjoyed by race fans from around the world. He broke numerous records and captured many titles during his 40 year career as a jockey. He overcame great adversity after his accident and although he was bound to a wheelchair, he never gave up his love of horses or racing,” said Amanda Teal.

In a career that spanned five decades, Bill Shoemaker rode in more than 40,000 races and won a record 8,833 of them. His purses, totaling more than $123 million, included four Kentucky Derby victories, including his last as the oldest Derby Winning Jockey, at age 54, aboard Ferdinand in the 1986 Derby.

Riding from 1949 to 1990, winning on 22.9 percent of his mounts, Shoemaker became the first jockey to win over $100 million. After his last race as a jockey, in February 1990, Shoemaker made the transition to trainer one month later. His stable quickly swelled to some 40 horses, and he was regarded within the sport as adept at judging and preparing them.

An auto accident in 1991 at the age of 60 left him paralyzed when he rolled his car down an embankment that after playing golf. Two months later and wheelchair bound, Shoemaker returned to the track to continue training until 1997.

He died at the age of 72 on October 13, 2003.