Joe Notter
Encyclopedia
Joseph A. Notter was an American
Hall of Fame
jockey
and winner of two of the American Classic Races.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Joe Notter rode prominently in the first decades of the 20th century. Statistics from his racing career as a jockey are limited but it is known that he was working as a stable boy at age ten and was riding and winning at age thirteen. He developed a reputation as a good handler of young horses and rode winners in several important stakes races
for two-year-old horses including three wins in the important Hopeful Stakes.
During his career, Joe Notter rode U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductees Maskette
and Colin
for owner James R. Keene
plus Regret
and Whisk Broom II
for Harry Payne Whitney
. 1908 would be Notter's most successful earnings year when he won purses totalling $464,322 which smashed the existing record and remained unmatched for another fifteen years. Aboard Colin in the 1908 Belmont Stakes
, Notter misjudged the finish line and eased the horse up. Fortunately he was six-lengths in front and still won by a head over the onrushing Fair Play
. In the 1957 Kentucky Derby
, jockey Bill Shoemaker would make the same mistake with Gallant Man
and lose the race.
In 1913 Notter became the first jockey to win the New York Handicap Triple
when he rode Whisk Broom II
to victory in the Metropolitan
, Suburban
and Brooklyn Handicap
s. He rode in the Kentucky Derby three times, winning it in 1915 aboard Regret
, the first filly
to ever win the Classic, and took second place in 1918 on the Woodburn Stud
colt, Escoba. Notter competed in the Preakness Stakes
only once, finishing twelfth in the 1910 edition.
Notter battled weight problems and after 1908 limited himself to dieting
enough to be able to ride in selected stakes races. He retired in 1923 having won fifty-six important stakes races then turned to training for a time before working as a racing official.
Joe Notter was inducted in the United States' Racing Hall of Fame
in 1963.
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:...
and winner of two of the American Classic Races.
A native of Brooklyn, New York, Joe Notter rode prominently in the first decades of the 20th century. Statistics from his racing career as a jockey are limited but it is known that he was working as a stable boy at age ten and was riding and winning at age thirteen. He developed a reputation as a good handler of young horses and rode winners in several important stakes races
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
for two-year-old horses including three wins in the important Hopeful Stakes.
During his career, Joe Notter rode U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductees Maskette
Maskette
Maskette was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who never lost a race against her own sex.Bred by James R. Keene at his Castleton Farm near Lexington, Kentucky, Maskette was trained by future Hall of Fame inductee James G. Rowe, Sr...
and Colin
Colin (horse)
Colin was one of America's greatest Thoroughbred racehorses. He retired undefeated after 15 starts and as a sire appears in the pedigree of the champion racehorse, Alsab.-Pedigree:...
for owner James R. Keene
James R. Keene
James Robert Keene was a Wall Street stock broker and a major thoroughbred race horse owner and breeder.-Biography:He was born in London, England in 1838. He was fourteen years of age when his family emigrated to the United States in 1852...
plus Regret
Regret (horse)
Regret was a famous American thoroughbred racehorse and the first of three fillies to ever win the Kentucky Derby.-Background:She was foaled at Harry Payne Whitney's Brookdale Farm in Lincroft, New Jersey...
and Whisk Broom II
Whisk Broom II
Whisk Broom II was American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in the United Kingdom and in the United States.-Background:...
for Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney was an American businessman, thoroughbred horsebreeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.- Early years :...
. 1908 would be Notter's most successful earnings year when he won purses totalling $464,322 which smashed the existing record and remained unmatched for another fifteen years. Aboard Colin in the 1908 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...
, Notter misjudged the finish line and eased the horse up. Fortunately he was six-lengths in front and still won by a head over the onrushing Fair Play
Fair Play (horse)
Fair Play was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was successful on the track, but even more so as a sire.His grandsire was Spendthrift, whose grandsire was the English Triple Crown champion West Australian....
. In the 1957 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...
, jockey Bill Shoemaker would make the same mistake with Gallant Man
Gallant Man
Gallant Man was a thoroughbred racehorse, named for a horse in a Don Ameche movie.- Career at Kentucky Derby:Gallant Man is remembered primarily for his upset loss in the 1957 Kentucky Derby...
and lose the race.
In 1913 Notter became the first jockey to win the New York Handicap Triple
New York Handicap Triple
The New York Handicap Triple is the name used to refer to three American handicap races for older Thoroughbred racehorses run by the New York Racing Association at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York...
when he rode Whisk Broom II
Whisk Broom II
Whisk Broom II was American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who raced in the United Kingdom and in the United States.-Background:...
to victory in the Metropolitan
Metropolitan Handicap
The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...
, Suburban
Suburban Handicap
The Suburban Handicap is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is run at the classic one-and-one-quarter mile distance on dirt for a $400,000 purse....
and Brooklyn Handicap
Brooklyn Handicap
The Brooklyn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to three-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt....
s. He rode in the Kentucky Derby three times, winning it in 1915 aboard Regret
Regret (horse)
Regret was a famous American thoroughbred racehorse and the first of three fillies to ever win the Kentucky Derby.-Background:She was foaled at Harry Payne Whitney's Brookdale Farm in Lincroft, New Jersey...
, the first filly
Filly
A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....
to ever win the Classic, and took second place in 1918 on the Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud
Woodburn Stud was an American horse breeding farm located in Woodford County, Kentucky about ten miles from the city of Lexington. It was established in the 18th century as an original land grant property of General Hugh Mercer to whom it had been granted for his military services during the...
colt, Escoba. Notter competed 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...
only once, finishing twelfth in the 1910 edition.
Notter battled weight problems and after 1908 limited himself to dieting
Dieting
Dieting is the practice of eating food in a regulated fashion to achieve or maintain a controlled weight. In most cases dieting is used in combination with physical exercise to lose weight in those who are overweight or obese. Some athletes, however, follow a diet to gain weight...
enough to be able to ride in selected stakes races. He retired in 1923 having won fifty-six important stakes races then turned to training for a time before working as a racing official.
Joe Notter 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...
in 1963.