Stewart Elliott

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Stewart Elliott

Occupation:	Jockey
Birthplace:	Toronto, Ontario
Birth date:	March 1, 1965
Career wins:	3,400+ (ongoing)
Major Racing Wins & Honours & Awards
Major Racing Wins
Demoiselle Stakes (1999) Arkansas Derby (2004) Maryland Million Classic (2004) Remsen Stakes (2004) Tempted Stakes (2004) Acorn Stakes (2005) Fantasy Stakes (2005) Blue Hen Stakes (2006) Southwest Stakes (2007) Affectionately Handicap (2008) American Classic Race wins: Kentucky Derby (2004) Preakness Stakes (2004)
Racing Awards
ABC NEWS Person of the Week (2004) Best Jockey ESPY Award (2004)
Significant Horses
Smarty Jones, Round Pond, Teuflesberg
Infobox last updated on: July 15, 2007.

Stewart Elliott (born on March 1, 1965 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada) is a thoroughbred jockey.

Elliott grew up in horse racing; his father was a jockey for many years, his mother rode show horses and was a riding instructor, and his uncle owns a racing stable in Canada. Elliott grew up in the United States and began riding professionally at the age of 16, mainly at Philadelphia Park Racetrack, a small racetrack in suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A steady, hard worker, he has been the racetrack's most successful jockey for a number of years and for the past three seasons has been named Pennsylvania's top rider. On May 13, 2003 he reached a prestigious milestone, riding his 3,000th career winner.

On May 1, 2004, Elliott became the first jockey in twenty-five years to win the Kentucky Derby in his first appearance in the race. His horse, Smarty Jones, became the first unbeaten Derby winner since Seattle Slew in 1977. To add to his victory was Elliott's 10% share of the almost $6 million in purse and bonuses that represented the largest payday for any jockey and horse in racing history. Two weeks later, Elliott rode Smarty Jones to a record-breaking win in the second leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, the Preakness Stakes. In the Belmont Stakes, the third leg, Elliott took Smarty Jones out early in the backstretch. Smarty Jones made a valiant effort, but Birdstone passed him in the end.