Carroll M. Bierman (October 22, 1918 – March 22, 1970) was an American

Thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

jockey born in

Centralia, Illinois Centralia is a city in Clinton, Jefferson, Marion, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Illinois with the largest portion in Marion County. The city is the largest in three of the counties; Clinton, Marion, and Washington, but is not a ...

. In 1940, he won the Kentucky Derby on Gallahadion in an upset over heavily favored Bimelech. That Derby ride is considered one of the best by a jockey in America's great race. Gallahadion paid $72.40 on a $2 bet for winning the "Run for the Roses" in the colors of

Ethel V. Mars Ethel Veronica Mars (birth name, née Healy; June 1884 – December 25, 1945) was an American businesswoman and racehorse owner. She was Ethel Veronica Healy prior to her marriage in 1910 to Franklin Clarence Mars, the founder of the Mars, Incorp ...

, of the Mars Candy fortune. He rode in the Kentucky Derby four times and finished 3rd, 4th, and 6th in the other three. He also won the 1939

Santa Anita Derby The Santa Anita Derby is an American Grade 1 thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds run each April at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. It is currently run at a distance of miles on the dirt and carries a purse of $400,000. It is one ...

aboard the filly Ciencia. On September 19 of 1942, in one of the great races of the American Turf, Bierman rode

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held on Armed Forces Day which is also the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs () o ...

winner

Alsab Alsab (1939–1963) was an American Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse. Background Alsab was bred in Kentucky by Thomas Piatt. His sire was Good Goods, and his dam was Winds Chant. Buyers were not interested in him, and Alsab was sold in 1940 ...

to victory over 1941 U.S. Triple Crown Champion

Whirlaway Whirlaway (April 2, 1938 – April 6, 1953) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who is the fifth winner of the American Triple Crown. He also won the Travers Stakes after his Triple Crown sweep to become the first and only horse to w ...

in a famous match race at

Narragansett Park Narragansett Park was an American race track for Thoroughbred horse racing in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Beginnings On May 18, 1934, Rhode Island voters approved a measure legalizing parimutuel betting by an almost 3 to 1 margin. The following day, ...

. Bierman's burgeoning career was interrupted by service with the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

. Discharged in May 1945, he returned to racing after a fitness regimen designed to shed the weight he had gained. He was a founding member of the Jockeys' Guild. He rests at Elmwood Cemetery in

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bierman, Carroll 1918 births 1970 deaths American jockeys United States Navy personnel of World War II People from Centralia, Illinois