Arnold Kirkland (November 11, 1921 – March 15, 1969) 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 ...

. He was from

Petersburg, Virginia Petersburg is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 33,458 with a majority bla ...

and became one of the nation's top jockeys in the 1940s and 1950s.

Riding career

Arnold Kirkland rode 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 ...

five times. His best finish was a 3rd on Hasseyanda in the 1954 edition won by

Determine Determine (April 7, 1951 – September 27, 1972) was an American Thoroughbred race horse. In a racing career which lasted from 1953 through 1955, the California-trained colt ran forty-four times and won eighteen races. His best season was 1954 w ...

. Kirkland won the 1948

Peter Pan Stakes The Peter Pan Stakes is a Grade III American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds over a distance of miles (nine furlongs) run annually during the second week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. History The race is run in honor o ...

on Escadu and with that same horse he challenged

Citation A citation is a reference to a source. More precisely, a citation is an abbreviated alphanumeric expression embedded in the body of an intellectual work that denotes an entry in the bibliographic references section of the work for the purpose o ...

on the far turn in the 1948 Belmont Stakes. Kirkland and Escadru made a bold run where the lead was whittled to 2 lengths with just 3/8 of a mile to go. Citation then spurted clear and became the eighth Triple Crown winner while the team of Kirkland and Escadru settled for 3rd. Kirland rode for many famous owners such as C. V. Whitney and

Elizabeth Arden Elizabeth Arden (December 31, 1881 – October 18, 1966), also known as Elizabeth N. Graham, was a Canadian-American businesswoman who founded what is now Elizabeth Arden, Inc., and built a cosmetics empire in the United States. Backg ...

. He won the 1945

Wood Memorial Stakes The Wood Memorial Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually in April at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. It is run over a distance of 1 1/8 miles (9 furlongs) on dirt. The Wood Memor ...

Jeep Jeep is an American automobile brand, now owned by multi-national corporation Stellantis. Jeep has been part of Chrysler since 1987, when Chrysler acquired the Jeep brand, along with other assets, from its previous owner, American Motors Co ...

and rode 1946

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 ...

First Flight First Flight may refer to: * Maiden flight, the first flight of a new aircraft type * First Flight Airport, in North Carolina, United States * First Flight High School, in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina * ''First Flight'' (sculpture), a sculp ...

to victory in the

Fashion Stakes The Fashion Stakes was an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old fillies. Raced on dirt over a distance of five furlongs, it was run annually from 1889 through 2005. Inaugurated at Morris Park Racecourse in Westchester County, New Yor ...

. Arnold Kirkland won a number of the east coast's important

stakes race The following is a glossary of North American horse racing. Additional glossaries at: *Glossary of Australian and New Zealand punting *Glossary of equestrian terms This is a basic glossary of equestrian terms that includes both technical term ...

s. They included the 1944

Delaware Handicap The Delaware Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Delaware Park Racetrack in Wilmington, Delaware. The Grade III race is open to fillies and mares, age three and up, willing to race one mile and one eighth on the dirt. ...

on Everget, the 1946

Massachusetts Handicap The Massachusetts Handicap, frequently referred to as the "MassCap", was a Flat racing, flat thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and up held annually at Suffolk Downs in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It was an Graded stakes r ...

Pavot Pavot (January 27, 1942 - June 5, 1975) was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse. In a career that lasted from 1944 to 1946 he ran thirty-two times and won fourteen races. He was the leader of his generation in 1944 when he was named Ameri ...

and the Rhode Island Handicap of that year on Man O' Glory. In 1948, he had two signature wins on

Gallorette Gallorette (1942–1959) was a Maryland-bred chestnut thoroughbred filly who became a Hall of Fame race horse. Sired by Challenger II, out of Gallette, Gallorette's damsire was Sir Gallahad III. Breeding Trainer Preston M. Burch bought Gallett ...

in the

Whitney Handicap The Whitney Stakes (run as the Whitney Handicap through 2013 and still sometimes referred to as such) is an American Grade 1 stakes race for Thoroughbred racehorses four years of age and older run at a distance of miles. The current purse is $1, ...

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Springs, New York (state), New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting v ...

and

Donor A donor in general is a person, organization or government which donates something voluntarily. The term is usually used to represent a form of pure altruism, but is sometimes used when the payment for a service is recognized by all parties as re ...

in the

Narragansett Special The Narragansett Special was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Narragansett Park in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. At the time of its inaugural running in 1934, the Narragansett Special offered a Purse distribution, purse of $32,500 add ...

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 ...

just in the month of August."A Racing Life" by Allen Woodville" (1969) His last Kentucky Derby mount was on Countermand in the

1956 Kentucky Derby The 1956 Kentucky Derby was the 82nd running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 5, 1956. Full results Winning Breeder: William E. Leach; ( FL) References 1956 Kentucky Derby Derby Kentucky Kentucky Derby The Kentucky ...

where he drew the #17 post, was extremely wide on the first turn, and came home last (17th) to winner Needles. Arnold Kirkland died on March 15, 1969, and was interred in the Woodland Cemetery in

Richmond, Virginia Richmond ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. Incorporated in 1742, Richmond has been an independent city (United States), independent city since 1871. ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkland, Arnold 1921 births 1969 deaths American jockeys Sportspeople from Petersburg, Virginia