Chris McCarron is a Hall of Fame jockey from Massachusetts that was renowned for his many major racing wins and his contributions to the racing industry after his retirement. He began racing at 19 years old in 1974 and it was immediately obvious that he had talent: in his first year, he had 547 wins, shattering the previous record set by Sandy Hawley in 1973 for most races won in a year (515).
McCarron would go on to become the first jockey to reach the $200 million earnings mark, as well as earning two Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey, three US Champion Jockey by wins awards, four US Champion Jockey by earnings awards, a Best Jockey Epsy award, a George Woolf Memorial Jockey award, and a Mike Venezia Memorial award. He was also inducted into the US Racing Hall of Fame in 1989. Overall, he won an amazing 21% of all the races he rode, a percentage that has only ever been held by 5 jockeys.
After McCarron retired in 2002, he continued to contribute to preserving and enhancing the horse racing industry. He served as a technical advisor, racing designer, and actor in the 2003 film Seabiscuit. That same year, Magna Entertainment Corporation hired him to serve as Vice President and General Manager of Santa Anita Park. He resigned from the position in 2005 to open the first ever riding academy in the US called the North American Racing Academy.
Demographic Profile
- Born: March 27, 1955
- Place of Birth: Boston, Massachusetts, US
- Residence: Boston, Massachusetts, US
- Nationality: American
- Height: N/A
- Weight: N/A
Racing Career
Mounts | 34,241 |
Earnings | $263,986,005 |
Wins | 7,141 |
Debuted | January 24, 1974, at Bowie |
Retired | June 2002 |
First Win | February 9, 1974. His tenth mount. |
Major Races
- Kentucky Oaks (1977, 1990, 2002)
- Rancho Bernardo Handicap (1978, 1983, 1986, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1997)
- Del Mar Oaks (1979, 1984, 1989, 1991)
- Del Mar Futurity (1979, 1988, 1992, 1997)
- Del Mar Handicap (1979, 1981, 1984, 1988, 1998, 2000)
- Del Mar Debutante Stakes (1980, 1981, 1984)
- La Jolla Handicap (1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1989, 1993)
- San Bernardino Handicap (1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1997, 2002)
- Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (1981, 1988, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000)
- Hawthorne Handicap (1981, 1987, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001)
- San Felipe Stakes (1982, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1998)
- Florida Derby (1981)
- Eddie Read Handicap (1981)
- Bing Crosby Handicap (1982)
- Jockey Club Gold Cup (1982, 1993)
- Palomar Breeders’ Cup Handicap (1983, 1992, 1996, 1997)
- Arlington Million (1984)
- Fantasy Stakes (1984, 1987, 1989, 1992)
- San Clemente Handicap (1984, 1985, 1991, 1994, 1995)
- Hollywood Gold Cup (1984)
- Woodward Stakes (1986, 1988)
- Del Mar Breeders’ Cup Mile (1987, 1988, 1995, 1998)
- Santa Anita Handicap (1988, 1999, 2001)
- Haskell Invitational Handicap (1989, 1997)
- Native Diver Handicap (1989, 1990, 1991, 1992)
- Santa Anita Derby (1991, 1996, 2000, 2002)
- John C. Mabee Handicap (1992, 1993, 1994)
- San Diego Handicap (1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999)
- Pacific Classic Stakes (1998)
International race wins:
- Canadian International Stakes (1987)
- Japan Cup (1988)
Triple Crown Highlights
- Won the 1987 Kentucky Derby — Alysheba
- Won the 1994 Kentucky Derby — Go for Gin
- Won the 1987 Preakness Stakes — Alysheba
- Won the 1992 Preakness Stakes — Pine Bluff
- Won the 1986 Belmont Stakes — Danzig Connection
- Won the 1997 Belmont Stakes — Touch Gold
Breeders’ Cup Highlights
- Won the 1985 Sprint — Precisionist
- Won the 1988 Classic — Alysheba
- Won the 1989 Classic — Sunsay Silence
- Won the 1992 Juvenile — Gilded Time
- Won the 1992 Distaff — Paseana
- Won the 1995 Turf — Northern Spur
- Won the 1996 Classic — Alphabet Soup
- Won the 2000 Classic — Tiznow
- Won the 2001 Classic — Tiznow
Historical Achievements, Honors Received, Recognitions
1974
- Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey
- North America’s leading rider in wins
- Eclipse Awards for Outstanding Jockey
1975
- North America’s leading rider in wins
1980
- Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
- North America’s leading rider in wins
- North America’s leading rider in earnings
- George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award
1981
- North America’s leading rider in earnings
1984
- North America’s leading rider in earnings
1989
- He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.
1991
- North America’s leading rider in earnings
- Mike Venezia Memorial Award for “extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship.”
1995
- Best Jockey ESPY award for outstanding achievement in racing
2000
- He is ranked 7th by Earnings.
2001
- He is ranked 6th by Earnings.
2016
- Thoroughbred Club of America Honor Guest
Characteristics
Chris McCarron’s first love was hockey, both on the ice and in the street, and he grew up rooting for the Boston Bruins. He was introduced to horse riding by his brother Gregg, and although he was “petrified” the first time he sat on a horse according to his brother, Chris quickly fell in love with the sport. His brother was a competitive person that made it clear that he wanted to beat Chris on the track, and McCarron credits him for teaching him the importance of being a fierce competitor in horseracing.
McCarron was also known for his amiable personality and good communication skills with both people and horses. His brother said of him, “He was gregarious. People liked him and his talent evolved to where he was one of the best.” McCarron has said that the most important thing about riding a horse is getting cooperation from them and “really understanding what made them tick.” He has always put the welfare of the horses first, and is a strong supporter of horseracing to this day.
After McCarron retired from racing, he served as a general manager at Santa Anita for a period and was a regular on-air personality. He was also a popular speaker at corporate events. However, McCarron would tell you that he has never felt comfortable wearing a suit, and you’re much more likely to find him in jeans at the stable these days.
Statues
Santa Anita commissioned artist Nina Kaiser to sculpt a bust of McCarron, which was unveiled during the 2005-06 Santa Anita winter/spring meeting.
Personal Life
Chris grew up in the Boston suburb of Dorchester, the seventh of nine children of Herb and Helen McCarron. He was introduced to thoroughbred racing by his older brother, Gregg McCarron. He started as a hot walker for trainer Odie Clelland until he rode his first race at Bowie racecourse in January 1974.
During the fall meet at Laurel Park in 1974, McCarran’s good friend Judy Wexler showed up at his doorstep holding two suitcases with nowhere to stay. He offered to let her stay at his place until she could get her own, and their friendship developed into a relationship. The two were wed in January 1976 and had three daughters together, Erin, Kristin, and Stephanie. Stephanie is an avid rider, instructor, and the mother of Chris’s grandson, Griffin.
After Racing
McCarron retired from racing in June 2002 after twenty-eight years of being a jockey. However, he is still a part of the racing industry and has contributed greatly to its development after his retirement. He served as a technical advisor, racing designer, and actor in the 2003 film Seabiscuit. Magna Entertainment Corporation also hired him to serve as Vice President and General Manager of Santa Anita Park in March 2003.
McCarron resigned from Santa Anita Park in February 2005, and announced he would be opening the first (and only) riding academy in the United States in July, the North American Racing Academy (NARA). McCarron is the founder and has served as the lead instructor of NARA in Lexington, Kentucky, which has been incorporated into the Bluegrass Community and Technical College system. McCarran has touted the Equine program at NARA/BCTC as a path for students to gain the skills and knowledge needed to get a job in the horseracing industry, and it offers the only community college-based racehorse riding certificate in the US. McCarron took a very hands-on approach to his role with the school until he retired in December 2014. During this period, he also worked as a racing analyst for TVG Network for one year starting in 2008.
Alongside his wife and comedian Tim Conoway, McCarron also started the Don MacBeth Memorial Jockey Fund in 1987. Over the course of 25 years, the fund raised about $3 million dollars through events like Jockeys Across America to help injured jockeys and their families pay their rent, make car payments, buy groceries, and pay for college tuition.
Because of his contributions to the racing industry, Chris McCarron received the honor of being the first jockey to be invited to the elite group known as the Jockey Club in its 116 years of existence.
Notable Horses Mounted
John Henry, Alysheba, Desert Wine, Danzig Connection, Precisionist, Pine Bluff, Lady’s Secret, Sunday Silence, Paseana, Touch Gold, Tiznow, Flawlessly, Alphabet Soup, Go for Gin