Kentucky Derby-Winning Jockey Erb Dies at 95

Jockey Dave Erb, who won the 1956 Kentucky Derby aboard Needles, has died at age 95, according to the Jockeys' Guild and a family member.

Erb, who had been living at a farm outside Saratoga Springs, N.Y., died Nov. 22—one week before his 96th birthday—according to a family member. At the time of his passing, Erb was the oldest living Derby-winning jockey.

In 1956, Erb just missed a Triple Crown aboard D & H Stables' Needles. They rallied from 16th early to win the Kentucky Derby by three-quarters of a length over Calumet Farm's Fabius. The Florida-bred showed guts in the Belmont Stakes by rallying from more than 15 lengths back early to catch the leader, Fabius, and hold off a late charge from Career Boy to win by a neck at the wire. But in between those classics, Needles and Erb finished second by 1 3/4 lengths to Fabius in the Preakness Stakes. 

Erb took over the riding assignment on late-running Needles in his 3-year-old season and showed patience on the sometimes difficult son of Ponder. According to BloodHorse, Erb once waited a half-hour on Needles ahead of a morning work a few weeks before the Derby and, in the Belmont post parade, Needles would refuse to move toward the gate until a pair of outriders and track worker coaxed him from a spot near the five-sixteenths pole.

Another memorable mount for Erb was riding Swaps to victory in the 1955 Californian Stakes when regular rider Will Shoemaker was serving a suspension and couldn't ride him in his first race after his Kentucky Derby win. In the Californian, Erb guided Swaps to a victory over 1954 Derby winner Determine, and in the process, set a world record for 1 1/16 miles in 1:40 2/5.

In a 2014 Steve Haskin blog published on Bloodhorse.com, Erb recalled riding Swaps for trainer Mesh Tenney.

"Well, I tell you what. When I came out there to ride him, he gave me a big scare. I flew out all night and got there early in the morning. I asked Tenney, 'Mesh, do you want me to come over and get on the horse this morning?' He said, 'No, I'll see you in the paddock this afternoon.'

"So, I went back to the jock's room and went to sleep, and got up and went to the paddock and they lifted me on. I reached down and said, 'Holy Jesus, there's no mane. There was about two or three strands of mane. If I had known this I would have told him to put a strap around that horse's neck. I said, 'I hope I can stay with him when we leave there.' It wasn't only short, it was very thin."

In a Saratoga Living article earlier this year, Erb noted he was in good enough health to continue to enjoy golfing.

In that same story, he said winning the Derby was a dream come true.

"I wanted to win the Kentucky Derby," Erb said. "I'm one of the lucky ones. I had a great horse that day." 

Besides riding those top horses, Erb also enjoyed success as a trainer. He conditioned 1963 champion 2-year-old colt Hurry to Market, who nailed down that honor with a clear victory in the Garden State Stakes. Erb continued to train horses until retiring in 1988—his final starter coming at Calder Race Course.