The best way to highlight the names that were etched in the history of the Jockeys in the 1950s is by mentioning the leaders of the previous year. In the 1940s the best cyclists were Adams, Arcaro, Atkinson, Meade and Longden. As they continued to reign supreme in the early 1950s, they were joined by a name that would create havoc in racing history: Shoemaker. Shortly after completing his second year with 388 wins, he was tied for the top jockey rankings. He was the only one to earn more than a million dollars in the early 1950s.

William Boland was among the biggest names of the year, making his mark as a jockey apprentice. He had left everyone horrified by his performance against Hill Prince when he won by a length and a half over jockey Arcaro. The main concerns of jockey apprentices during this time were the different rules regarding apprenticeship around the world; this led them to jump from region to region to retain their apprentice assignments. It was the Jockey’s Guild that introduced standardized rules that were applied throughout the world.

The year 1951 was marked by the highest number of deaths among horsemen and that rose to 10 deaths. The best-remembered jockey of the 1950s is LeRoy, who died on January 12, 1956 after a tragic fall from his mount and brain injury. Following that tragic loss, the horse racing world faced another fatal death of John Alessio, the president of the Caliente racetrack. After his death, a helmet was approved and made mandatory for riders to wear while riding; this gained publicity and acceptance as the “Hot Safety Helmet”, this rule was applied to exercise boys, escorts, trainees, pony boys and girls.

The talk of the time in the racing industry was whether John Longden would top Sir Gordon Richard’s history of having the most wins in horse racing history. Finally, it was John Longden after winning the 320th from him in one racing season.

The year 1957 saw the notable performances of Bill Shoemaker and Bill Hartack in Gallant Man and Iron Liege, respectively, in the Kentucky Derby. The pair were battling a tough race together at Churchill Downs until Shoemaker misjudged the length and fell behind, giving Bill Hartack his first Derby win of his. Proving that victory was no fluke, he went on to win four of the following derbies, then retired as the winningest jockeys in the Derby along with Arcaro.

The following year was marked by the surprising deaths of jockey Jackie Westrope and Joe Snyder after sustaining injuries just a week apart.

In 1958, three Jockeys were elected to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame:

Eddie Arcaro – The only jockey to win the Triple Crown twice.

Johnny Longden – won over 5,000 races and was the reigning leader among jockeys for 3 years in a row.

Bill Shoemaker – Created the all-time record of winning 485 races in the year 1953 and won 5 riding titles.

Still surviving the most deaths for the year, the Jockeys’ Guild announced in 1958 an additional insurance plan for jockeys that provided $10,000 death benefits for active and retired jockeys.

The year ended with the survival of Eddie Arcaro after a sudden fall from his mount, Black Hills in the Belmont Stakes. He also marked the event by winning six races in it. “The helmet saved me,” said Arcaro – Jockeysguild

In the real world, history is created and repeated as we witness that with each passing year, this magnificent “sport of kings” has evolved in many ways. With the viral era settled, this sport is accessible from the comfort of your home in any modality. Games, videos, TV broadcasts and replays can be viewed if you have missed a race or been unable to visit the race track on that particular day. Horse games are available online for you to simulate and bet on for entertainment. And what is more? In fact, you can get a taste of what a world-class jockey goes through while riding the thousand-pound equine beast. Become a jockey to experience heart-pounding adrenaline as the crowd cheers you to victory. He plays against friends or with the community of horse racing fans from around the world.