Born:
1965-08-10 Roswell New Mexico, USA Currently Residing: Westbury NY USA Height: 5'4 He is single. His father George was a famous jockey. Notes: Mike Smith began riding races in New Mexico at age 11, got his license at 16 in 1982 and won his first race that year with Forever Man at Santa Fe in New Mexico. He left New Mexico in 1983, riding in Arkansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Kentucky and Minnesota. Smith moved tack to New York in 1989 and stayed until he moved again, to Southern California in 2000. He became the first US based jockey to win a European classic in 1991 taking the Irish Two Thousand Guineas with Fourstars Allstar. He won ESPN's 1993 ESPY Award as an outstanding jockey. The New York Racing Association rewarded him with Venezia Award for outstanding citizenship and sportsmanship in 1994. Smith set a record for stakes win in a year with 68 – including 20 grade 1 victories in 1994. He faced two major injuries in two separate spills in 1998. In March he had to stay out for two months with a broken shoulder, and a fall in August resulted in a broken back, Smith wore a body cast for months and recovered form it during the 1999 Gulfstream meet. Mike Smith won George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2000 and was inducted into Racing's Hall of Fame in 2003. Smith won the 1993 Preakness Stakes on Prairie Bayou, won Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey in 1993 and 1994. |
| Year | Races Run | Wins | Place | Show | Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 270 | 47 | 33 | 39 | - |
| 2008 | 541 | 86 | 68 | 48 | - |
| 2006 | 685 | 64 | 87 | 76 | - |
| 2005 | 625 | 81 | 77 | 76 | - |
| 2004 | 692 | 111 | 112 | 75 | - |
| Major Racing Wins: — Kentucky Derby (2005), Preakness Stakes (1993), Breeders' Cup Mile (1992, 1993), Breeders' Cup Sprint (1994), Breeders' Cup Turf (1994), Breeders' Cup Juvenile (1995, 2002), Tropical Park Oaks (1995), Breeders' Cup Distaff (1995, 1997, 2002), Breeders' Cup Classic (1997), Manhattan Handicap (1990), Wood Memorial Stakes (1990, 1992, 1996), Beldame Stakes (1991), Santa Anita Derby (2007), Vagrancy Handicap (1991, 1994, 1995), Fall Highweight Handicap (1992), Alabama Stakes (1993, 1994, 1995, 2000), Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (1993, 1996), Blue Grass Stakes (1993, 1994), Clark Handicap (1993), Coaching Club American Oaks (1993, 1997, 2000), Frizette Stakes (1993), Futurity Stakes (1993), Jamaica Handicap (1993), Turf Classic Invitational (1993, 1997), Vosburgh Stakes (1993), Whitney Handicap (1993), Dwyer Stakes (1994, 1998), Florida Derby (1994, 1995, 1996), Gazelle Handicap (1994, 2000), Metropolitan Handicap (1994), Travers Stakes (1994, 1998), Woodward Stakes (1994), Lawrence Realization Stakes (1995, 1999), Spinster Stakes (1995), Discovery Handicap (1996, 1997), NYRA Mile Handicap (1996), Cowdin Stakes (1997, 1991), Personal Ensign Handicap (1997), Mother Goose Stakes (1997, 1998), Lexington Stakes (2002), San Diego Handicap (2006), Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (2002, 2003), Del Mar Breeders' Cup Handicap (2002), Del Mar Oaks (2005), Pacific Classic Stakes (2002), Hollywood Gold Cup (2004), Hollywood Derby (2007) |
| Career Accomplishments: Leading Jockey in New York 1991,1992, and 1993, 7 Riding titles at Belmont Park, 5 Riding titles at Aqueduct, 3 Riding titles at Saratoga, Rode 6 winners at Aqueduct- twice 1992, Rode 5 winners at Saratoga 1996, 10 Breeders' Cup wins |
| Top Associated Horses: - Stardom Bound, Blue Exit, Machismo, Pasar Silbano, Matto Mondo, Spinning Yarns |