Edward Retz "Eddie" Maple (born November 8, 1948, in Carrollton,

Ohio Ohio () is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Of the List of states and territories of the United States, fifty U.S. states, it is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 34th-l ...

) is a retired American

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are ...

horse racing jockey. One of eight siblings, he is an older brother to jockey Sam Maple, who won more than 2,500 races. Maple began riding horses at age 12, and won his first race as a professional at age 17 at

Ascot Park Ascot Park can refer to: * Ascot Park (speedway) – dirt racing track in Gardena, California * Ascot Park, New Zealand – suburb in Porirua, New Zealand * Ascot Park, South Australia Ascot Park is a suburb in the south-western part of Adelaid ...

in Akron. Ohio. He spent his early career in Ohio and West Virginia, moving to tracks in New Jersey in 1970, but then relocated to New York in 1971. Maple was the jockey for Hall of Fame horse Riva Ridge in the 1973 Marlboro Cup, getting the ride when regular jockey

Ron Turcotte Ronald Joseph Morel "Ronnie" Turcotte, (born July 22, 1941) is a retired Canadian thoroughbred race horse jockey best known as the rider of Secretariat, winner of the U.S. Triple Crown in 1973. Career Turcotte began his career in Toronto as ...

rode

Secretariat Secretariat may refer to: * Secretariat (administrative office) * Secretariat (horse) Secretariat (March 30, 1970 – October 4, 1989), also known as Big Red, was a champion American thoroughbred racehorse who is the ninth winner of the Ameri ...

to victory in the same race. His strong 2nd-place performance earned him the opportunity of a lifetime later that year, when Turcotte was suspended from riding for five days; Maple rode Secretariat to victory in his last race, the

Canadian International Stakes The Canadian International Stakes is a Grade I stakes race for thoroughbred racehorses three years of age and up on Turf. It is held annually in October at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The current purse is Since its creation i ...

Woodbine Racetrack Woodbine Racetrack is a race track for Thoroughbred horse racing in the Etobicoke area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Woodbine Entertainment Group, Woodbine Racetrack manages and hosts Canada's most famous race, the King's Plate. The track ...

. In 1982, Maple scored his second win in the Canadian International with

Majesty's Prince Majesty's Prince (foaled 1979 in Virginia, euthanized in 2009) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Background Bred at John D. Marsh's farm in Gainesville, Virginia, he was out of the mare Pied Princess, a daughter of 1953 American Horse of ...

. In 1980, Maple won the Belmont Stakes aboard Temperence Hill, and won again in 1985 on Creme Fraiche. He competed in nine

Kentucky Derby The Kentucky Derby is a horse race held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, almost always on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The competition is a Grade I stakes race for three-yea ...

s, his best finish being a second place in 1982 behind winner Gato Del Sol. Among his other major victories, Maple won the

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds acco ...

three times, the

Kentucky Oaks The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers at Churchill Downs; the horses carry . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday ...

, the Arlington Million, and the 1991 Italian 1,000 Guineas ( Premio Regina Elena) in

Rome, Italy , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. In 1995, Maple was voted the

George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award The George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award has been presented by Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, annually since 1950 to the thoroughbred horse racing jockey in North America who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduc ...

, and in 1998, the

Mike Venezia Memorial Award Mike Venezia Memorial Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing honor given annually by the New York Racing Association to honor a jockey who exemplifies extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship. The award was created in 1989 to honor the ...

. He retired in 1998 with 4,398 wins. He and his wife ran a retail home and garden store on Long Island,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

until 2005, when they sold the business and took on the position of General Manager at the Rose Hill Plantation Equestrian Boarding And Teaching Center in Bluffton,

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = "Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = G ...

. Maple was inducted into the National Racing Hall of Fame in 2009.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Maple, Eddie American jockeys People from Carrollton, Ohio 1948 births Living people United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees