Steve Cauthen (born May 1, 1960) is a retired American

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 ...

. In 1977 he became the first jockey to win over $6 million in a year working with agent Lenny Goodman, and in 1978 he became the youngest jockey to win the U. S. Triple Crown. Cauthen is the only jockey ever named ''

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with a circulation of over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellen ...

'' Sportsman of the Year. After riding for a few years in the United States, he began racing in Europe. He is the only jockey to have won both 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 ...

and the Epsom Derby.

Background

Cauthen, the son of a trainer and a

farrier A farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves, if necessary. A farrier combines some blacksmith's skills (fabricating, adapting, and adju ...

, grew up in Walton, Kentucky, around horses, which (along with his small size) made race-riding a logical career choice.

Racing career

North America

He rode his first race on May 12, 1976, at

Churchill Downs Churchill Downs is a horse racing complex in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States that hosts the annual Kentucky Derby. It opened in 1875 and was named for Samuel Churchill, whose family was prominent in Kentucky for many years. The first ...

at age 16; he finished last, riding King of Swat. He rode his first winner (Red Pipe) less than a week later, at River Downs.. He was the nation's leader in race wins in 1977 with 487. In only his second year of riding, he became the first jockey to win $6 million in a single season, passing that mark in December 1977. In 1978 he became the youngest jockey to ever win the U. S. Triple Crown, riding

Affirmed Affirmed (February 21, 1975 – January 12, 2001) was a champion American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse who is the eleventh winner of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United States), American Triple Crown. Affirmed was well known ...

, and he was named ''

'' Sportsman of the Year. He had increasing problems making weight and moved to the UK, where jockey weights were higher.

Europe

A June 16, 1985, feature story in the ''

New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' titled "Cauthen's Success Amazes Britain" said "Cauthen was lured to Britain by Robert Sangster." Quoting ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' newspaper's Richard Baerlein, a respected racing correspondent for more than 50 years in England, as saying that "He's matured into the perfect jockey." The ''Times'' story also reported that " Henry Cecil signed Cauthen to replace Piggott as the main jockey for his powerful stable." In his first race in the UK in April 1979 Cauthen rode Marquee Universal to victory at

Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...

. Steve Cauthen was British Champion Jockey three times, and won English classic races ten times, including the 2,000 Guineas, the

Derby Derby ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area on the River Derwent, Derbyshire, River Derwent in Derbyshire, England. Derbyshire is named after Derby, which was its original co ...

twice, and the St Leger three times. In 1985 he won three Classics riding Oh So Sharp. In 1989 he rode European Horse of the Year

Old Vic Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

to victory in the French Derby and the Irish Derby. In 1991 he won the Italian Derby on Hailsham.

Retirement

After he finished his riding career, Cauthen returned to Kentucky and bought a stud farm. He participated in Prince Edward of the United Kingdom's 1987 charity television special '' The Grand Knockout Tournament''. In 1999, the

Racing Post ''Racing Post'' is a British daily horse racing, greyhound racing, and sports betting publisher published in print and digital formats. It is printed in tabloid format from Monday to Sunday. , it has an average daily circulation of 60,629 ...

ranked Cauthen as eighth in their list of the Top 50 jockeys of the 20th century. Cauthen and his wife, Amy settled back in Walton and have three daughters.

Major winners

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...

* 1,000 Guineas - '' Oh So Sharp (1985)'' * 2,000 Guineas - '' Tap on Wood (1979)'' *

- '' Slip Anchor (1985), Reference Point (1987)'' * King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes - ''Reference Point (1987)'' * Oaks - ''Oh So Sharp (1985), Diminuendo (1988), Snow Bride (1989)'' * St. Leger - ''Oh So Sharp (1985), Reference Point (1987), Michelozzo (1989)'' * Goodwood Cup - ''Heighlin (1982), Gildoran (1984)'' * Yorkshire Oaks - Diminuendo (1988) * International Stakes - ''

Cormorant Wood Cormorant Wood (foaled 4 March 1980) was a British Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare. She showed useful form in the early part of her career but developed into a top-class runner in the second half of her three-year-old season, winning the Sun ...

(1984), Triptych (1987), In the Groove (1990)'' * Nunthorpe Stakes - '' Sharpo (1982), Never So Bold (1985)'' *

July Cup The July Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 6 furlongs (1,207 me ...

- '' Never So Bold (1985)'' * Falmouth Stakes - ''Meis El-Reem (1984), Chimes of Freedom (1990)'' * Cheveley Park Stakes - '' Desirable (1983)'' * Middle Park Stakes - '' Creag-An-Sgor (1983), Gallic League (1987), Balla Cove (1989), Zieten (1992)'' * Sun Chariot Stakes -

(1983) * Lockinge Stakes - ''Motavato (1982),

(1984)'' * Doncaster Cup - ''Spicy Story (1985)'' * Coronation Cup - '' Time Charter (1984), Triptych (1988), In the Groove (1991)'' * Coronation Stakes - '' Chimes of Freedom (1990)'' *

King's Stand Stakes The King Charles III Stakes (formerly the King's Stand Stakes) is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 fu ...

- '' Indian Ridge (1989), Elbio (1991)'' *

St James's Palace Stakes The St James's Palace Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old Colt (horse), colts. It is run at Ascot Racecourse, Ascot ...

- ''Horage (1983), Shavian (1990)'' *

Ascot Gold Cup The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles 3 furlongs and 210 yards (4 ...

- '' Gildoran (1984), Paean (1987)'' *

Eclipse Stakes The Eclipse Stakes is a Group races, Group 1 Flat racing, flat Horse racing, horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown ...

- '' Pebbles (1985)'' * Futurity Trophy - '' Be My Chief (1989), Peter Davies (1990)'' * Nassau Stakes - ''Nom de Plume (1987)'' * Prince of Wales's Stakes - ''Kind of Hush (1982), Stagecraft (1991)'' * British Champions Sprint Stakes - '' Never So Bold (1984), Wolfhound (1992)'' * Champion Stakes - ''

(1983), In the Groove (1990)'' * Princess Royal Stakes - '' Snow Bride (1989)'' ----

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

* Grand Prix de Paris - '' Risk Me (1987), Saumarez (1990)'' * Prix du Jockey Club - ''

(1989)'' * Prix de Saint-Georges - Elbio (1992) * Prix de Diane - '' Indian Skimmer (1987)'' * Prix Royal-Oak - ''El Cuite (1986)'' * Prix de l'Abbaye de Longchamp - '' Committed (1984), Keen Hunter (1991)'' * Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud - '' Diamond Shoal (1983), Acatenango (1986) '' * Prix Jean Prat - ''Lapierre (1988), Kitwood (1992)'' *

Prix Maurice de Gheest The Prix Maurice de Gheest is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,300 metres (about 6½ furlongs), and it is s ...

- '' Never So Bold (1984)'' * Prix Jacques Le Marois - ''Lirung (1986)'' *

Prix d'Ispahan The Prix d'Ispahan is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Longchamp over a distance of 1,850 metres (about 1 mile and 1¼ furlongs), ...

- '' Indian Skimmer (1989)'' * Prix Saint-Alary - '' Indian Skimmer (1987), Rosefinch (1992)'' ----

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

* Irish 1,000 Guineas - ''In the Groove (1990)'' * Irish Derby - ''Old Vic (1989)'' * Irish Oaks - ''Diminuendo (dead heat 1988), Possessive Dancer (1991)'' * Irish St. Leger - '' Mashaallah (1992)'' * Moyglare Stud Stakes - '' Chimes of Freedom (1989)'' * Tattersalls Gold Cup - '' Opera House (1992)'' ----

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

* Gran Premio di Milano - ''Diamond Shoal (1983)'' * Derby Italiano - ''Hailsham (1991)'' * Gran Criterium - ''Tanque Verde (1985)'' ----

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

* Bayerisches Zuchtrennen - ''Imperial Fling (1979)'' * Grosser Preis von Baden - '' Diamond Shoal (1983), Gold and Ivory (1985)'' * Preis von Europa - ''Gold and Ivory (1984)'' * Grosser Preis von Bayern - Almaarad (1988) ----

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

- ''

(1978)'' *

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

- ''Affirmed (1978)'' *

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Graded stakes race, Grade I stakes Thoroughbred racing, race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over the worldwide classic distance of . Colt (horseracing), Colt ...

- ''Affirmed (1978)'' * Hollywood Derby - ''Affirmed (1978)'' * Santa Anita Derby - ''Affirmed (1978)'' * United Nations Stakes - '' Noble Dancer (1978)'' * Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Stakes - '' Johnny D. (1977)'' * Malibu Stakes - '' J. O. Tobin (1978)'' * Belmont Futurity Stakes - ''

(1977)'' * Laurel Futurity Stakes - ''

(1977)'' * Hopeful Stakes - ''

(1977)''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cauthen, Steve American jockeys British jockeys Eclipse Award winners American Champion jockeys United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Sportspeople from Covington, Kentucky People from Walton, Kentucky Sportspeople from Kenton County, Kentucky 1960 births Living people American sports announcers American horse racing announcers British Champion flat jockeys