Mark Guidry
Encyclopedia
Mark Guidry is a retired American
jockey
.
He began his riding career in Thoroughbred
horse racing
in his native Louisiana
in 1974 where he remained until 1986 when he went to race in Illinois
. He was the leading jockey at Hawthorne Race Course
seven times, Sportsman's Park nine times, and two times at Arlington Park
. Guidry earned his 5,000th career win at Churchill Downs
on May 4, 2007.
In 1997, Hawthorne Race Course voted him into their Racing Hall of Fame. In 2006 he was voted the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award
and was nominated to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
.
In the 2007 Kentucky Derby
, Guidry rode 50-1 longshot Imawildandcrazyguy to a fourth-place finish. He retired on November 10, 2007 having won 5,043 races during his riding career.
Mark Guidry currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky
, with his wife Tina, and children Marcus, Mecus and Fallon. However, he is also active in the state of Louisiana and is currently a competitive horse racing owner and trainer of American Thoroughbreds.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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:...
.
He began his riding career in Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
in his native Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in 1974 where he remained until 1986 when he went to race in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He was the leading jockey at Hawthorne Race Course
Hawthorne Race Course
Hawthorne Race Course is a race track for horse racing in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois, near Chicago.The oldest continually-run family-owned racetrack in North America, in 2009 the Horseplayers Association of North America introduced a rating system for 65 Thoroughbred racetracks in North America...
seven times, Sportsman's Park nine times, and two times 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...
. Guidry earned his 5,000th career win at Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
on May 4, 2007.
In 1997, Hawthorne Race Course voted him into their Racing Hall of Fame. In 2006 he was voted the 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...
and was nominated to 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...
.
In the 2007 Kentucky Derby
2007 Kentucky Derby
The 2007 Kentucky Derby was the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 5, 2007. The announced attendance was 156,635, the third largest in Derby history....
, Guidry rode 50-1 longshot Imawildandcrazyguy to a fourth-place finish. He retired on November 10, 2007 having won 5,043 races during his riding career.
Mark Guidry currently resides in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, with his wife Tina, and children Marcus, Mecus and Fallon. However, he is also active in the state of Louisiana and is currently a competitive horse racing owner and trainer of American Thoroughbreds.