Bill Shoemaker, one of the greatest jockeys of all time, died in his sleep on October 12, 2003, at the age of 72. He had been paralyzed from the neck down since 1991, when he was involved in a car accident that ended his career as a trainer. What was the cause of death of the man who won 8,833 races and four Kentucky Derbies?
A Life of Racing
Shoemaker was born in Fabens, Texas, on August 19, 1931. He was so small at birth that he was kept in a shoebox near a fire to stay warm. He grew up to be only 4 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 91 pounds, but that did not stop him from becoming a giant in the horse racing world.
He started riding professionally in 1949, and won his first race at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, California. He soon became a star, winning the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1951 and the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 1981. He rode some of the most famous horses in history, such as Swaps, Round Table, Northern Dancer, Buckpasser, Forego, and John Henry. He also had some memorable duels with other jockeys, such as Eddie Arcaro, Laffit Pincay Jr., and Angel Cordero Jr.
Shoemaker won 11 Triple Crown races, including four Kentucky Derbies, the last one in 1986 on Ferdinand, when he was 54 years old. He also won the Breeders’ Cup Classic in 1987 on Ferdinand, beating Alysheba by a nose in a thrilling finish. He retired from riding in 1990, with a record of 8,833 wins, which was later surpassed by Pincay in 1999.
A Tragic Accident
After retiring from riding, Shoemaker became a trainer, and had some success with horses such as Diazo, Different, and Great Communicator. However, his life changed dramatically on April 8, 1991, when he was driving home from a golf course and lost control of his Ford Bronco, which plunged down a 50-foot embankment. Shoemaker suffered a spinal cord injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down. He was arrested on suspicion of drunk driving, but he was not prosecuted because no one else was hurt.
Shoemaker did not give up on life, though. He continued to train horses until 1997, using a specially designed wheelchair and a voice-activated computer. He also became a motivational speaker, and wrote an autobiography, titled Shoemaker: America’s Greatest Jockey. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1958, and several races and awards were named after him.
A Natural Death
Shoemaker died in his sleep at his home in San Marino, California, on October 12, 2003. According to his friend and trainer Paddy Gallagher, the cause of death was natural. He had been suffering from various health problems, such as pneumonia, kidney infections, and blood clots, due to his paralysis. He was survived by his daughter Amanda, his son Bill Jr., and his longtime companion Cindy Barnes.
Shoemaker was widely mourned by the racing community and the public, who remembered him as a legend, a gentleman, and an inspiration. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, where his tombstone reads: “The Shoe. A Champion Always.”
