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Albert Johnson (jockey)
Encyclopedia
Albert Johnson was an American
Hall of Fame
jockey
. Born in the rural community of Milan, Washington
, Albert Johnson began his career in 1917 at Playfair Race Track in nearby Spokane
. His success at local racetracks led to a move to tracks in the New York City
area where he was the principal jockey for Morvich
in his undefeated two-year-old season in 1921 and with whom he won the 1922 Kentucky Derby
. Johnson was hired by prominent owner/breeder Willis Sharpe Kilmer
, whose racing stable had included Sun Briar
and Exterminator
. Riding for Kilmer brought Albert Johnson rode Exterminator to a number of important wins and ended 1922 as the United States Champion Jockey by earnings
.
In all, Albert Johnson won four American Classic Races. In 1925, riding for Glen Riddle Farm
, he won the Belmont Stakes
aboard a son of the great Man o' War
named American Flag
. The following year Johnson won his second Kentucky Derby on Col. Edward R. Bradley's
colt, Bubbling Over
. Back in New York a few weeks later, he won his second straight Belmont Stakes for Glen Riddle Farm with Crusader
, another colt sired by Man o' War. In the Preakness Stakes
, Johnson had five career mounts with his best finish a fourth in 1926 and again in 1929.
Fighting to maintain his weight, in 1929 Johnson traveled to France
where he rode in steeplechase
races that accommodate heavier weight limits for jockeys. Returning home, he turned to training
and in the mid 1930s was hired by longtime friend Bing Crosby
to help condition horses for his Binglin Stable
partnership.
Johnson went on to work as a timer at various major racetracks in California and was living in Millbrae
at the time of his death in 1966. In 1971 he was inducted in the United States' Racing Hall of Fame
and in 2006, in the Washington State Sports Hall of Fame.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
. Born in the rural community of Milan, Washington
Milan, Washington
Milan is an unincorporated community in Spokane County, Washington, United States. Milan is a rural community located along the Burlington Northern Railroad, east of Deer Park. It is named after the Italian city of Milan....
, Albert Johnson began his career in 1917 at Playfair Race Track in nearby Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. His success at local racetracks led to a move to tracks in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area where he was the principal jockey for Morvich
Morvich
Morvich was an American Thoroughbred who was the first California-bred racehorse to win the Kentucky Derby.Bred by sugar magnate Adolph B. Spreckels at his Napa Stock Farm, Morvich was sired by James R. Keene's stallion, Runnymede, and was out of the mare, Hymir by Dr. Leggo. He was sold to...
in his undefeated two-year-old season in 1921 and with whom he won the 1922 Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
. Johnson was hired by prominent owner/breeder Willis Sharpe Kilmer
Willis Sharpe Kilmer
Willis Sharpe Kilmer , son of Jonas M. Kilmer and Julia E. Sharpe, was a marketing pioneer, newspaperman, and horse breeder. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he graduated from Cornell University in 1890. Kilmer was perhaps best known for advertising and promoting his uncle's Swamp Root patent medicine...
, whose racing stable had included Sun Briar
Sun Briar
Sun Briar was a Thoroughbred racehorse voted the American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt of 1917 and the American Champion Older Male Horse of 1919. He was a son of Sundridge, the 1911 Champion sire in Great Britain who also sired Epsom Derby winner, Sunstar. Sun Briar was out of the mare Sweet...
and Exterminator
Exterminator (horse)
Exterminator was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and the winner of the 1918 Kentucky Derby, and in 1922 won Horse of the Year honors....
. Riding for Kilmer brought Albert Johnson rode Exterminator to a number of important wins and ended 1922 as the United States Champion Jockey by earnings
United States Champion Jockey by earnings
There is recognition for the United States Champion Jockey by earnings but no formal award is given to the jockey whose mounts earned the most purse money in American Thoroughbred racing. The American Racing Manual shows that since 1910 the following jockeys headed the annual earnings list the most...
.
In all, Albert Johnson won four American Classic Races. In 1925, riding for Glen Riddle Farm
Glen Riddle Farm
Glen Riddle Farm was a large horse farm in Berlin, Maryland in the United States. Located on what today is Route 50 between Ocean City and Berlin, it was owned by a wealthy textile businessman Samuel D...
, he won the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
aboard a son of the great Man o' War
Man O' War
Man O' War, man o' war or manowar may refer to:* Man-of-war, a warship* Man of war for uses with this spelling - Places :...
named American Flag
American Flag (horse)
American Flag was an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred and raced by Samuel D. Riddle, who owned his sire, Man o' War, he was out of the dam Lady Comfey....
. The following year Johnson won his second Kentucky Derby on Col. Edward R. Bradley's
Edward R. Bradley
Colonel Edward Riley Bradley was an American steel mill laborer, gold miner, businessman and philanthropist. As well as a race track proprietor, he was the preeminent owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses in the Southern United States during the first three decades of the 20th Century...
colt, Bubbling Over
Bubbling Over (horse)
Bubbling Over was an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse. Bred in Kentucky, he was sired by English stakes winner North Star out of the mare, Beaming Beauty, who in turn was sired by the great Belmont Stakes champion, Sweep....
. Back in New York a few weeks later, he won his second straight Belmont Stakes for Glen Riddle Farm with Crusader
Crusader (horse)
Crusader was a chestnut Thoroughbred colt sired by Man o' War from the mare Star Fancy. Bred by Samuel D. Riddle, he was raced by his Glen Riddle Farm and was ridden by Earl Sande and Albert Johnson....
, another colt sired by Man o' War. In the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
, Johnson had five career mounts with his best finish a fourth in 1926 and again in 1929.
Fighting to maintain his weight, in 1929 Johnson traveled to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
where he rode in steeplechase
Steeplechase (horse racing)
The steeplechase is a form of horse racing and derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside...
races that accommodate heavier weight limits for jockeys. Returning home, he turned to training
Horse trainer
In horse racing, a trainer prepares a horse for races, with responsibility for exercising it, getting it race-ready and determining which races it should enter...
and in the mid 1930s was hired by longtime friend Bing Crosby
Bing Crosby
Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby was an American singer and actor. Crosby's trademark bass-baritone voice made him one of the best-selling recording artists of the 20th century, with over half a billion records in circulation....
to help condition horses for his Binglin Stable
Binglin Stable
Binglin Stable in Moorpark, Ventura County, California was a stock farm established during the latter part of the 1930s to race and breed Thoroughbred horses. The stable was owned by entertainer Bing Crosby and close friend, Lindsay Howard...
partnership.
Johnson went on to work as a timer at various major racetracks in California and was living in Millbrae
Millbrae, California
Millbrae is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, just west of San Francisco Bay, with San Bruno on the north and Burlingame on the south. The population was 21,532 at the 2010 census.-History:...
at the time of his death in 1966. In 1971 he was inducted in the United States' Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
and in 2006, in the Washington State Sports Hall of Fame.