It lasted only 18 years, from 1928 until his tragic death in 1946 at the age of 35, and he had only 3,784 horses, a figure surpassed by successful modern jockey Russell Baze in three years.
But in less than twenty years, Woolf enjoyed this kind of success and earned a level of respect that was best exemplified by his induction among the original inductees into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1955.
To this day, almost 80 years after his death, Woolf remains one of thoroughbred racing’s most famous and respected riders.
Woolf was born in Canada on May 31, 1910 and grew up in a riding family. His mother was a trick rider in a circus and his father was a rodeo rider.
In his teens he began competing in rodeo events in his native Alberta and also began jumping aboard racehorses.
He ran his first race in 1928 and within four years became a regular at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California.
His breakthrough victories included the 1932 Capital Handicap at Laurel Park on Hygro and the 1933 Agua Caliente Handicap on Gallant Sir.
In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Woolf became the dominant jockey in California, winning most of the major races at the track.
He won the Santa Anita Handicap in 1935, when it was the nation’s first $100,000 stakes, and then captured the Hollywood Gold Cup in three consecutive years from 1938 to 1940.
As Woolf’s legend grew, he became famous for his impeccable ability to move his horses at the right time. According to reports at the time, Woolf, nicknamed “The Iceman” for the cool, skillful way he handled his horses, rarely lost a photo finish in a stakes during his years at Santa Anita.
He rode champions such as Cavalcade, Challedon, Kayak II, Pompoon, Alsab, Askmenow, Busher, By Jimminy, Devil Diver, Durazna, Mar-Kell, Market Wise, Pavot, Whirlaway and of course Seabiscuit.
Woolf’s most famous race came in 1938 when he filled in for an injured “Red” Pollard and rode Seabiscuit in the Pimlico Special, which turned out to be a match race with the 1937 Triple Crown winner War Admiral.
Earlier that year, when Woolf first took over the mountain, he rode Seabiscuit and rallied from 14th in a field of 18 to lose by a nose in the Santa Anita Handicap. But Woolf rode the subsequent races with Seabiscuit very differently. In an August 1938 match race with Ligaroti at Del Mar, Woolf and Seabiscuit battled for the early lead and won by a nose in a thriller.
Three months later, in the Pimlico Special, Woolf extracted enough early speed from Seabiscuit to take the lead. War Admiral joined him on the backstretch and the two dueled until entering the stretch when Seabiscuit heroically pulled away from the favored Triple Crown champion to win by four lengths.
Decades later, the Pimlico Special, and Woolf’s ride in it, was a central feature in the 2003 film “Seabiscuit.” Hall of Fame rider Gary Stevens played Woolf in the film, which was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Picture.
In the 1940s, Woolf rode part of the year in New York, adding races such as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Metropolitan Handicap, Belmont Futurity, Saratoga Special, Hopeful and Coaching Club American Oaks to his laurels.
But despite all his success on the track, Woolf has had a long battle with diabetes, adding even more luster to his achievements. Forced to watch his weight and maintain his strength, Woolf raced about four or five races a week, or about 200 a year, for much of his career, limiting his career win total to a modest 721.
While insulin helped Woolf fight the disease, there were side effects as the treatments could sometimes make him dizzy – and on one terrible day, it might have cost him his life.
On January 3, 1946, at Santa Anita, Woolf agreed to ride a horse named Please Me for a friend, even though he felt ill. At the first turn he suddenly fell off the horse. He hit the ground with such force that he suffered a fatal concussion and died the next day.
As the racing world mourned the loss of one of its biggest stars, no one could ever explain why Woolf fell. According to reports, he fainted when his long battle with diabetes ended in an extremely tragic way.
Stunned by Woolf’s passing, the sport honored the fallen champion in many ways.
A life-size bronze statue of Woolf was placed at Santa Anita’s walking ring.
In 1950, Santa Anita inaugurated the annual George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in his honor for the purpose of presenting it to riders whose careers and personal character merit recognition of the individual and the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. Still considered one of the sport’s greatest honors, one of several distinguished Woolf Award recipients is Stevens, who played Woolf in the films.
To this day, the memories of “The Iceman” still burn brightly. In many corners of the racing industry, the mention of his name will still bring back memories of a gifted rider whose time on the track may have been heartbreakingly short, but was nevertheless utterly unforgettable.
George Woolf
Place of Birth: Cardston, Alberta
Date of birth: May 31, 1910
Dead: January 4, 1946
Awards: Inaugural inductee into Racing Hall of Fame, also member of Canada Sports Hall of Fame, Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award was established in his honor to recognize a rider whose career and personal character merit recognition for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. Life-size bronze statue erected in his honor near Santa Anita Park’s walking ring.
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