Joe Culmone
Encyclopedia
Joseph "Joe" Culmone was an American Champion jockey
. in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing
.
Joe Culmone was born in Delia, Sicily
, where he lived in a farming area and learned to ride horses. His mother died during World War II
and in 1946 he emigrated to the United States to join his father in Atlantic City, New Jersey
. He began working as a stable hand and exercise rider at the Atlantic City Race Course
and embarked on his jockey career at Florida's
Tropical Park Race Track
in late 1948. A year later he was meeting with great success as an apprentice rider, scoring back-to-back triple wins on racecards at Tropical Park in December 1949. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB091EF73559157A93C2AB1789D95F4D8485F9 In 1950 Culmone tied the great Bill Shoemaker for the most wins of any jockey in the United States with 388, a total that equaled a forty-four-year-old world record
set by Walter Miller
in 1906.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/885171622.html?dids=885171622:885171622&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jan+01%2C+1951&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=Shoemaker's+Three+Wins+Tie+Record&pqatl=google
Culmone worked as a contract rider for the famous Brookmeade Stable
and also rode for noted owners such as Calumet Farm
and Harry Z. Isaacs
. During his career, he competed primarily at racetracks from New York
along the Eastern Seaboard
to Florida
and at Oriental Park Racetrack
in Cuba
. He rode five winners on a single racecard several times and on November 27, 1950 won six races on a single card at Bowie Race Track
. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h_opAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dyMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3612,6638085&dq=joe+culmone&hl=en In the U.S. Triple Crown
series, Culmone had five rides in the Preakness Stakes
with his best finish a sixth in 1957 and again in 1964.
Retired from racing in 1972, Joe Culmone died in 1996 at age sixty-five at his home in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
.
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:...
. in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
.
Joe Culmone was born in Delia, Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, where he lived in a farming area and learned to ride horses. His mother died during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and in 1946 he emigrated to the United States to join his father in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
. He began working as a stable hand and exercise rider at the Atlantic City Race Course
Atlantic City Race Course
The Atlantic City Race Course , formerly the Atlantic City Race Track, is a thoroughbred horse race track located in the Mays Landing section of Hamilton Township, in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The track is located off the Black Horse Pike next to the Hamilton Mall...
and embarked on his jockey career at Florida's
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Tropical Park Race Track
Tropical Park Race Track
Tropical Park Race Track was a horse racing facility built on at the current intersection of Bird Road and the Palmetto Expressway in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in what is now the neighborhood of Olympia Heights. The race track was built by Bill Dwyer, a prohibition era bootlegger, and Frank...
in late 1948. A year later he was meeting with great success as an apprentice rider, scoring back-to-back triple wins on racecards at Tropical Park in December 1949. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FB091EF73559157A93C2AB1789D95F4D8485F9 In 1950 Culmone tied the great Bill Shoemaker for the most wins of any jockey in the United States with 388, a total that equaled a forty-four-year-old world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
set by Walter Miller
Walter Miller (jockey)
Walter Miller was an American jockey.Miller was Jewish, and was born in Brooklyn, New York.He rode in his first race at age 14. At the age of 16, he won 388 races , and between the years 1905 and 1908 he won 1,094 races. He led the U.S...
in 1906.
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/courant/access/885171622.html?dids=885171622:885171622&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jan+01%2C+1951&author=&pub=Hartford+Courant&desc=Shoemaker's+Three+Wins+Tie+Record&pqatl=google
Culmone worked as a contract rider for the famous Brookmeade Stable
Brookmeade Stable
Brookmeade Stable was a successful thoroughbred horse racing stable owned by heiress and socialite Isabel Dodge Sloane. Sloane first won using the name Brookmeade Stable at the Manly Memorial Steeplechase at Pimlico in 1924....
and also rode for noted owners such as Calumet Farm
Calumet Farm
Calumet Farm is a Thoroughbred breeding and training farm established in 1924 in Lexington, Kentucky, United States by William Monroe Wright, founding owner of the Calumet Baking Powder Company. Calumet is located in the heart of Lexington's blue grass country, the finest horse breeding region in...
and Harry Z. Isaacs
Harry Z. Isaacs
Harry Z. Isaacs was a Baltimore, Maryland businessman, a philanthropist, and a major owner and breeder of Thoroughbred racehorses who operated and resided at Brookfield Farm in Glyndon, Maryland...
. During his career, he competed primarily at racetracks from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
along the Eastern Seaboard
Eastern seaboard
An Eastern seaboard can mean any easternmost part of a continent, or its countries, states and/or cities.Eastern seaboard may also refer to:* East Coast of Australia* East Coast of the United States* Eastern Seaboard of Thailand-See also:...
to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and at Oriental Park Racetrack
Oriental Park Racetrack
Oriental Park Racetrack in Marianao, Havana, Cuba was a thoroughbred horse racing facility operated during the winter months by the Havana-American Jockey Club of Cuba...
in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. He rode five winners on a single racecard several times and on November 27, 1950 won six races on a single card at Bowie Race Track
Bowie Race Track
The Bowie Race Track was a horse racing track located just outside the city limits of Bowie, Maryland. Opened October 1, 1914 by the Southern Maryland Agricultural Society, the racetrack was a major attraction in the area, serving the now defunct WB&A Railroad that drew passengers from New York,...
. http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=h_opAAAAIBAJ&sjid=dyMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3612,6638085&dq=joe+culmone&hl=en In the U.S. Triple Crown
United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
In the United States, the "Triple Crown" is usually the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, a series of three Thoroughbred horse races for three-year-old horses run in May and early June of each year consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.While Daily Racing Form...
series, Culmone had five rides 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...
with his best finish a sixth in 1957 and again in 1964.
Retired from racing in 1972, Joe Culmone died in 1996 at age sixty-five at his home in Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill, New Jersey
Cherry Hill is a township in Camden County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township had a population of 71,045, representing an increase of 1,080 from the 69,965 residents enumerated during the 2000 Census...
.