Calvin Borel
Calvin Borel | |
---|---|
Louisville Distaff Stakes (2013)(1999, 2004, 2007, 2009) Florida Derby (2012) West Virginia Governor's Stakes
(2009) Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2006) | |
Racing awards | |
George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award (2010) | |
Honours | |
Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame (2011) National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (2013) | |
Significant horses | |
Seek Gold, Street Sense, Delightful Kiss Rachel Alexandra, Mine That Bird, Brass Hat, Miss Isella, Super Saver |
Calvin H. Borel (born November 7, 1966) is an
Life and career
Calvin Borel hails from south
Borel's older brother, Cecil, had a brief career as a thoroughbred jockey but was not able to maintain his weight. He turned to training horses at Delta Downs in Vinton, Louisiana. Calvin began his professional riding career at Delta Downs.
Over a career spanning 25 years, Borel has become known for his tireless work ethic as well as an ability to slip up the rail to save ground. His colleagues and racing fans therefore frequently refer to him as "Calvin Bo-rail".[3][4]
Borel is 5 ft 4 in (1.63 m) and 116 pounds (53 kg). He lives in Louisville, Kentucky. His riding career began to surge in June 2006 when he won the $750,000
Borel then won the 2007 Kentucky Derby aboard Street Sense, guiding the colt to a 2+1⁄4 length victory over Hard Spun. He next had a close second-place finish aboard Street Sense in the Preakness Stakes to Curlin.
On July 5, 2007, Borel became the sixth jockey in the history of Churchill Downs to win six races on a single race card. With his victory in the July 5, 2008
May 2, 2009, saw Borel win the Kentucky Derby on Mine That Bird, a 50–1 long shot, a day after winning the Kentucky Oaks aboard favorite Rachel Alexandra. It was only the second time since 1993 that a jockey has won the Oaks-Derby combo, and he was just the seventh jockey overall to accomplish this feat in the same year.[1]
On May 16, 2009, Borel won the Preakness Stakes on Rachel Alexandra (after that horse was sold following the Derby). This accomplishment marked the first time that a jockey won the first two legs of the Triple Crown on different horses, and Borel, with a win in the Belmont, could become the first Triple Crown winner since Steve Cauthen accomplished it in 1978 on Affirmed. A win would have made him only the second individual to win the Triple Crown by sweeping the races with different horses (D. Wayne Lukas, a trainer, also did so in 1995). However, on June 6, 2009, Borel finished third on Mine That Bird in the Belmont Stakes, failing to accomplish a jockey Triple Crown.
On June 27, 2009, he guided Rachel Alexandra to a 19+1⁄4 victory in the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park, setting a new stakes record, the only horse to break a record held by the great filly
On September 5 of the same year, he rode Rachel Alexandra to a historic victory in the Woodward Stakes. It was the first time a filly of any age had won that storied race.
Borel was named the winner of the 2010 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award.
On May 1, 2010, he rode Super Saver to win his 3rd Kentucky Derby in a 4-year span, the first jockey ever to do so.[6] After winning the race, Borel promised he would win the Triple Crown in 2010 but he lost the Preakness.
On June 4, 2010, Borel became only the second jockey to win 1,000 career races at Churchill Downs, joining Hall of Famer Pat Day.
On March 7, 2013, Borel earned his 5,000th victory at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas while riding Hezunusual in the 6th race. He dedicated the win to his agent of over 20 years, Jerry Hissam who retired that year due to chronic pancreas issues after undergoing gall bladder surgery.[7] Borel is the 26th North American jockey to reach 5000 victories.[8]
Borel was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 2011 and to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2013.[9][10]
Borel played himself in the 2014 feature film 50 to 1, about Mine that Bird's 2009 Kentucky Derby win.[11]
On March 30, 2016, Borel announced he would be retiring from horse racing.[12] However, on August 15, he came out of retirement.
Legal issues
On August 20, 2011, Borel was arrested in Evansville, Indiana for allegedly driving while intoxicated.[13]
On August 26, 2019, Borel was arrested in Corydon, Indiana for allegedly driving while intoxicated after police saw him driving the wrong way on a street.[14]
Riding titles
- Delta Downs (1985, 1986, 1987)
- Louisiana Downs (1991, 1992, 1994)
- Oaklawn Park(1995, 2001)
- Ellis Park(1995, 2011)
- Churchill Downs Fall meet (1999, 2006, 2009), Spring meet (2010)[15]
- Turfway Park (2000)
- Kentucky Downs (2005)
Year-end charts
Chart (2000–present) | Peak position |
---|---|
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2000 | 43 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2001 | 35 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2002 | 34 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2003 | 41 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2004 | 54 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2005 | 73 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2006 | 30 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2007 | 17 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2008 | 50 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2009 | 15 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2010 | 26 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2011 | 71 |
National Earnings List for Jockeys 2012 | 89 |
References
- ^ a b Story, Mark (2009-05-05). "Rail-hugging rides are Borel's signature - Kentucky Derby". Kentucky.com. Retrieved 2010-05-02.
- ^ Marty McGee (June 4, 2009). "A day in the life of Calvin Borel". ESPN. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ "Calvin Borel". NTRA. Archived from the original on May 4, 2008. Retrieved May 3, 2010.
- ^ Brisnet Editorial (January 24, 2009). "Beethoven breezes for Holy Bull | Kentucky Derby 135". Archived from the original on February 10, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2011.
- ^ Marty McGee (July 5, 2008). "Borel hits 4,500 with 18-1 shot - Horse Racing". ESPN. Retrieved May 2, 2010.
- ^ Pedulla, Tom (May 3, 2010). "Jockey Calvin Borel makes Derby his old Kentucky home". USA Today. Retrieved May 9, 2011.
- ^ http://www.drf.com/news/oaklawn-park-jockey-agent-jerry-hissam-retiring-due-illness%7Caccess-date=2017-06-12[permanent dead link]
- ^ "Jockey Calvin Borel claims career win No. 5,000". SF Gate. March 7, 2013.
- ^ "ASHOF Inductees" (PDF). Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame. 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2018-10-17.
- ^ "Calvin Borel". Racingmuseum.org. 2013-01-01. Retrieved 2019-05-14.
- ^ "Borel impresses Hollywood co-stars in '50 to 1'". Daily Racing Form, March 14, 2014.
- The Courier Journal, March 30, 2016.
- ^ Council, Jared (2011-08-21). "Derby-Winning Jockey Calvin Borel Faces DWI Charge". Evansville Courier & Press. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
- ^ [1] WHAS11 News, August 26, 2019.
- ^ Yunt, Gary (July 4, 2010). "Borel Secures First Spring Meet Riding Title, Fourth Overall". Churchill Downs. Retrieved May 18, 2011.