Larry Snyder
Encyclopedia
Larry Lloyd Snyder is a retired American Thoroughbred horse racing
jockey
whose career spanned thirty-five years from 1960 to 1994. In the early 1960s he began competing at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas
where he would win eight riding titles. Beginning in 1964, he also rode at Arlington Park
in Chicago
where he won the riding title in 1974 and 1976, then at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana
he won six riding titles between 1981 and 1986. He also worked at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
In 1969 Snyder won 352 races, more than any other jockey in the United States that year. On April 1, 1969, Snyder won six races on a single card at Oaklawn Park, the first jockey to ever do so at that racetrack. On August 17, 1981 he rode five winners on a single program, tying the Louisiana Downs record. Among his notable wins were victories in the 1983 Rebel Stakes
aboard that year's Kentucky Derby
winner, Sunny's Halo
, as well as the 1989 Arkansas Derby
on Dansil whom he would ride to a fourth-place finish in both the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes
.
At Louisiana Downs on August 24, 1989, Larry Snyder became only the sixth rider in U.S. racing history to reach 6,000 wins. That year, his distinguished career was recognized by his peers through the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award
. The honor is awarded by Santa Anita Park
to a North American
jockey who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct, on and off the racetrack.
Snyder's last full season of riding was in 1994. He retired with career earnings of $47,207,289 and 6,388 victories which ranked him in the top ten in career wins among American jockeys. After retiring, he has worked as a race steward at Louisiana Downs and Oaklawn Park.
While still an active rider, in 1988 Larry Snyder was inducted in the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and in retirement, in 2001 was honored on the Arkansas Walk of Fame in Hot Springs. He was nominated for induction in 2006 in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
.
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...
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:...
whose career spanned thirty-five years from 1960 to 1994. In the early 1960s he began competing at Oaklawn Park Race Track in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
where he would win eight riding titles. Beginning in 1964, he also rode at Arlington Park
Arlington Park
Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
where he won the riding title in 1974 and 1976, then at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City, Louisiana
Bossier City is a city in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States.As of the 2010 Census, the city had a total population of 61,315. Bossier City is closely tied to its larger sister city Shreveport, located on the western bank of the Red River. The Shreveport-Bossier City metropolitan area is the...
he won six riding titles between 1981 and 1986. He also worked at Rapid City Regional Hospital.
In 1969 Snyder won 352 races, more than any other jockey in the United States that year. On April 1, 1969, Snyder won six races on a single card at Oaklawn Park, the first jockey to ever do so at that racetrack. On August 17, 1981 he rode five winners on a single program, tying the Louisiana Downs record. Among his notable wins were victories in the 1983 Rebel Stakes
Rebel Stakes
The Rebel Stakes is an American Grade II Thoroughbred horse race held annually in March at Oaklawn Park racetrack in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Open to three-year-old horses, it is raced on dirt over a distance of 11/16 miles...
aboard that year's 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...
winner, Sunny's Halo
Sunny's Halo
Sunny's Halo was a Thoroughbred racehorse who became only the second Canadian-bred to win the Kentucky Derby and who as of 2006 is the all-time leading sire by progeny earnings in the state of Texas....
, as well as the 1989 Arkansas Derby
Arkansas Derby
The Arkansas Derby is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held annually at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. It is currently a Grade I race run over a distance of 9 furlongs on dirt....
on Dansil whom he would ride to a fourth-place finish in both the Kentucky Derby and 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...
.
At Louisiana Downs on August 24, 1989, Larry Snyder became only the sixth rider in U.S. racing history to reach 6,000 wins. That year, his distinguished career was recognized by his peers through the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award
George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award
The George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award has been presented by Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, annually since 1950 to the thoroughbred horse racing jockey in North America who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct, on and off the racetrack.The award was created...
. The honor is awarded by Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park
Santa Anita Park is a thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent racing events in the United States during the winter and in spring. With its backdrop of the purple San Gabriel Mountains, it is considered by many as the world's most beautiful race...
to a North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
jockey who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct, on and off the racetrack.
Snyder's last full season of riding was in 1994. He retired with career earnings of $47,207,289 and 6,388 victories which ranked him in the top ten in career wins among American jockeys. After retiring, he has worked as a race steward at Louisiana Downs and Oaklawn Park.
While still an active rider, in 1988 Larry Snyder was inducted in the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame and in retirement, in 2001 was honored on the Arkansas Walk of Fame in Hot Springs. He was nominated for induction in 2006 in the National Museum of Racing and 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...
.