Alfred Edwin (Shelly) Shelhamer (November 30, 1918 - November 7, 1986) was an American

Thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, 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 know ...

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

. Shelhamer rode Sun Egret to a fifth place finish in the 1938 Preakness Stakes won by Dauber. In 1940 he rode Level Best,

American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly The American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor awarded annually to a female horse in Thoroughbred flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving ...

, to a 5 length victory in the Old Colony Stakes 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 ...

. In 1942 he was aboard Sweep Swinger and finished tenth in the

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby () is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race run at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. The race is run by three-year-old Thoroughbreds at a distance of . Colt (horse), Colts and geldin ...

won by

Shut Out Shut Out may refer to: * Shutout In team sports, a shutout (North American English, US) or clean sheet (Commonwealth English, UK) is a game in which the losing team fails to score. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable ...

. He was under contract to Hall of Fame trainer H. Guy Bedwell and rode most of his races on the Maryland circuit until his retirement in 1945. The best horse that he rode was U.S. Triple Crown Champion and two time Horse of the Year

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 ...

. After hanging up his tack, Mr. Shelhamer became a racing official in varying capacities. It was his use of riding knowledge that helped further the use of the Film Patrol in monitoring races at the track. He was one of three stewards at the very first

Breeder's Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, i ...

Hollywood Park Racetrack Hollywood Park was a thoroughbred horse racing, race course located in Inglewood, California, about 3 miles (5 km) from Los Angeles International Airport and adjacent to The Forum (Inglewood, California), the Forum indoor arena. In 1994, t ...

in 1984 that saw the winner

Wild Again Wild Again (May 22, 1980 – December 5, 2008) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse by Icecapade out of Bushel-n-Peck (by Khaled). He was given basic training by Tommy Akin, but for the majority of his career was trained by Vincent Timphony. ...

remain in first position after a roughly run stretch drive. Gate Dancer was taken down from 2nd to 3rd for interference and

Slew o' Gold Slew o' Gold (April 19, 1980 – October 14, 2007) was an American thoroughbred racehorse who was voted the 1983 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Male Horse and the 1984 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Older Male Horse. Background ...

was moved up to second in a race long remembered. Alfred Shelhamer died in Hollywood, California in 1986.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shelhamer, Al American jockeys 1918 births 1986 deaths