Chris McCarron Honored by Thoroughbred Club

Retired Hall of Fame jockey Chris McCarron has been selected by the board of directors of the Thoroughbred Club of America as its 2016 Honor Guest. McCarron will be honored by the TCA at its 85th testimonial dinner at Keeneland Sept. 25.

"We are thrilled to honor Chris as the 2016 Thoroughbred Club of America Honor Guest," TCA president Shannon Arvin said. "His accomplishments as a world-class jockey, competing for nearly three decades with Thoroughbred legends including Alysheba, John Henry, Sunday Silence, and Tiznow  , as well as his tremendous contributions to the Thoroughbred industry and jockey profession by founding the North American Racing Academy, certainly make Chris worthy of this distinct honor."

Born in Dorchester, Mass., in 1955, the son of Herbert and Helen and one of nine children, McCarron was introduced to the racing world by his brother Gregg, who was already a jockey. In the summer of 1971, McCarron started on the track as a hot walker for trainer Odie Clelland and rode his first race at Bowie Race Course in January of 1974. As an apprentice, McCarron rode a record 2,199 races scoring a record 546 wins. Eventually, he became the first jockey to reach the $200 million earnings mark.

Inducted into the National Racing Museum Hall of Fame in 1989, McCarron competed for 28 years with two victories each in the Kentucky Derby (gr. I), Preakness (gr. I), and the Belmont (gr. I). He also won the Breeders' Cup Classic (gr. I) five times and was victorious in three other Breeders' Cup races, as well as the Japan Cup (Jpn-I) and the Canadian International Stakes (Can-IT). Notable mounts include John Henry, Alysheba, Tiznow, Precisionist, Lady's Secret, Sunday Silence, Glorious Song, Bayakoa, Paseana, Flawlessly, Turkoman, Northern Spur, and many others.

After he retired from race riding, McCarron began appearances as a racing analyst for major races on ABC, NBC, ESPN, HDNet, and TVG. He was also the race designer and technical advisor for the feature film "Seabiscuit" and played the role of War Admiral's jockey Charlie Kurtsinger.

McCarron served as general manager of Santa Anita Park from March of 2003 to February of 2005. He is the founder and lead instructor of the North American Racing Academy in Lexington, Ky., which he established to help develop young jockeys. The academy also offers a horseman's career path to qualify young men and women for other jobs in the industry. 

McCarron's many awards include the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice jockey (1974), best jockey ESPY Award, two Eclipse Awards for outstanding jockey (1974 and 1980), and Mike Venezia Memorial Award. In 1995 McCarron also won the ESPY award for outstanding achievement in racing. He is a member of The Jockey Club, American Horse Council, Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club, and TCA. McCarron also serves on the board of directors for the High Hope Steeplechase Association.

For more than 84 years, the TCA annual testimonial dinner has honored people who have rendered distinguished service to the sport of Thoroughbred racing. For tickets to the Sept. 25 testimonial dinner, please call (859) 254-4282.