Skeets Martin
Encyclopedia
John Henry Martin commonly referred to as "Skeets" Martin, was an American
jockey
who achieved many racing wins in the United States and the United Kingdom
during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. His most notable race wins were the 1902 Epsom Derby
on Ard Patrick
and the 1903 2,000 Guineas on Rock Sand. Martin's technique was often at odds with racing authority rules, his license being suspended several times, and his early career was marred by allegations of cheating and underhanded gambling practices.
. His family relocated to Santa Clara, California
in the late 1880s and young Martin began an apprenticeship at the local racetrack when he was 15. His first race win was in 1896 aboard the 100:1 long shot La Mascota owned by J. G. Follansbee. Weighing only 80 lbs and standing at barely five feet tall, Martin soon acquired the nickname of "Skeets" because he looked like a tiny mosquito
while riding a large Thoroughbred
. In 1897, he won the Brooklyn Handicap
on Howard Man while racing for George E. Smith
, the notorious gambler called "Pittsburgh Phil." Smith also employed Tod Sloan
, and the two were often pitted against each other on Smith's mounts. Pittsburgh Phil considered Sloan to be the better of his two jockeys and would often put Martin on his less successful horses. In late 1897, Martin was widely criticized in the Eastern horse racing circuit for lackluster riding performances and failing to meet contractual obligations for many of his clients. These slights cost him dearly and he was not contracted for much of the 1898 season by any of the major Thoroughbred owners. In 1899, Martin was contracted to ride for John Daly
and the Dwyer Brothers, notably securing second place on Half-Time in a rousing nose-to-nose finish with Jean Bereaud
at the Belmont Stakes
. But despite his successes, Martin was dropped from Daly's employ in May 1899 due to a pervasive rumor that he had thrown
a race that would have won Daly $15,000. By 1899, Martin (at the age of 23) had won 269 out of 1257 mounts, with 242 seconds and 181 thirds in his short US career. While the allegations of cheating effectively ended his U.S. career, there was ample opportunity for success abroad as many American horsemen were expanding their racing interests overseas and British horsemen were in need of unconventional jockeys. He traveled to the UK in early 1899 on the advice of his friend and fellow jockey Tod Sloan.
, Lester Reiff
and John Reiff, Martin garnered many racing wins and dazzled the British public with his aggressive racing tactics and forward-seated posture. While colloquially known as "Skeets" in the United States, he did not race under that name in Britain, opting instead for the more prosaic sounding "J.H. Martin." His first race win occurred in August 1899 at the Rottingdean Plate on Lord William Beresford
's horse Blacksmith. Other racing wins included the Doncaster Stakes, Maiden Plate and September Stakes
. In his first season abroad, Martin won 48 out of 138 mounts and was considerably more well-thought of than Tod Sloan, who won more races but was often perceived as arrogant. Sloan and Martin, in the company of bicyclist and future racecar driver, Eddie Bald
, returned to the United States in December 1899 due to the curtailing of turf events at the outbreak of the Second Boer War
. Both jockeys returned to the UK for the start of the 1900 season in March.
for foul riding from May to June due to his being disqualified in the Spring Two-Year-Old Plate at Kempton Park
. He followed this suspension with wins at the Triennial Stakes, Northumberland Plate
, Wilton Plate, Autumn Breeder's Foal Plate and Stainsby Selling Plate. The Jockey Club refused to renew Martin's license for the 1901 season due to his continued disregard for racing etiquette and rough riding style. Tod Sloan's license was also permanently revoked, ending his racing career. Consequently, Martin obtained a license for racing in Germany
during the 1901 season, winning the Spring Handicap at Cologne in April and finishing second in the Eclipse Stakes
under a foreign license. His UK license was reinstated in 1902. In June 1902, Martin rode J. Gubbins' brown colt Ard Patrick
in the Derby Stakes, or Epsom Derby, and won against a field of 16 other horses and three other American jockeys. He finished the 1902 season with a second place finish on Volodyovski
at the Coronation Cup
and won the Princess of Wales's Stakes
on Veles. He shattered his collarbone in August when his mount, Argovian, fell at the Coatham Handicap Plate, grounding him for the rest of the season.
and had a third place finish at the Doncaster Cup
on St. Emilion. Martin was again suspended by the Jockey Club in October 1903 for a period of eight months after starting too early in the Hopeful Stakes. His only notable placing in 1904 was a third place finish on William Rufus in the Jockey Club Stakes
and he did not gain any significant wins in 1905. In 1906, Martin won the Brighton Derby
in the United States and was third in the Epsom Derby on Troutbeck and at the Eclipse Stakes
with Wombwell. Martin won the Lincolnshire Handicap
in 1908. He raced for the stable of Harry Payne Whitney
and Louis Winans in 1909 and was Sir Martin
's jockey when the colt fell on Tattenham Corner at the Epsom Derby, throwing and injuring Martin. He again rode Sir Martin in the 1909 Cambridgeshire Handicap
where the colt lost to Christmas Daisy and Mustapha, but Martin did win the Coronation Cup
on Sir Martin in 1910.
with the gelding
Hornet's Beauty in 1911 and 1913. At the onset of World War I
in 1914, Martin and his wife Florence left their residence in Newmarket and moved to California
, returning to the UK in 1916. Martin was the second leading jockey in Britain in 1917, riding 32 winners. Martin retired from racing in the early 1920s.
, Switzerland. He was an active participant in winter sports in Switzerland, notably toboggan
ing, both during and after his racing career. He pioneered the face-forward style of tobogganing commonly used today and participated in winter horse racing in St. Moritz. Martin fell on hard times during his retirement in the late 1930s and 40s, mostly resulting from bad real estate investments. Collections were taken in his name by friends in the United States and Europe under the name "Skeets Fund," but the money could not be transferred safely during World War II
. Destitute, he died in March 1944 at a nursing home in Realta, Switzerland
.
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:...
who achieved many racing wins in the United States and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. His most notable race wins were the 1902 Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
on Ard Patrick
Ard Patrick
Ard Patrick was a British Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1902 Epsom Derby and the 1903 Eclipse Stakes.-Pedigree:...
and the 1903 2,000 Guineas on Rock Sand. Martin's technique was often at odds with racing authority rules, his license being suspended several times, and his early career was marred by allegations of cheating and underhanded gambling practices.
Early life and U.S. racing career
Martin was born on January 25, 1875 in Titusville, PennsylvaniaTitusville, Pennsylvania
Titusville is a city in Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.-History:...
. His family relocated to Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...
in the late 1880s and young Martin began an apprenticeship at the local racetrack when he was 15. His first race win was in 1896 aboard the 100:1 long shot La Mascota owned by J. G. Follansbee. Weighing only 80 lbs and standing at barely five feet tall, Martin soon acquired the nickname of "Skeets" because he looked like a tiny mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
while riding a large 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...
. In 1897, he won the 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....
on Howard Man while racing for George E. Smith
George E. Smith (gambler)
George Elsworth Smith was an American gambler and Thoroughbred horse racing enthusiast who became a multi-millionaire during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Smith was given the nickname "Pittsburgh Phil" in 1885 by Chicago gambler William "Silver Bill" Riley to differentiate him...
, the notorious gambler called "Pittsburgh Phil." Smith also employed Tod Sloan
Tod Sloan (jockey)
James Forman "Tod" Sloan was an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955.-Early life and U.S. racing career:...
, and the two were often pitted against each other on Smith's mounts. Pittsburgh Phil considered Sloan to be the better of his two jockeys and would often put Martin on his less successful horses. In late 1897, Martin was widely criticized in the Eastern horse racing circuit for lackluster riding performances and failing to meet contractual obligations for many of his clients. These slights cost him dearly and he was not contracted for much of the 1898 season by any of the major Thoroughbred owners. In 1899, Martin was contracted to ride for John Daly
John Daly (gambler)
John Daly was an American sportsman, professional gambler and underworld figure in New York during the late 19th century. A protege of John Morrissey, he was involved in illegal gambling in Broadway and Midtown Manhattan for over thirty years...
and the Dwyer Brothers, notably securing second place on Half-Time in a rousing nose-to-nose finish with Jean Bereaud
Jean Bereaud
Jean Bereaud was an American Thoroughbred Champion racehorse best known for winning an 1899 American Classic Race, the Belmont Stakes. He was bred by the partnership of David Gideon and John Daly at their Holmdel Stock Farm in Holmdel, New Jersey...
at 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...
. But despite his successes, Martin was dropped from Daly's employ in May 1899 due to a pervasive rumor that he had thrown
Match fixing
In organised sports, match fixing, game fixing, race fixing, or sports fixing occurs as a match is played to a completely or partially pre-determined result, violating the rules of the game and often the law. Where the sporting competition in question is a race then the incident is referred to as...
a race that would have won Daly $15,000. By 1899, Martin (at the age of 23) had won 269 out of 1257 mounts, with 242 seconds and 181 thirds in his short US career. While the allegations of cheating effectively ended his U.S. career, there was ample opportunity for success abroad as many American horsemen were expanding their racing interests overseas and British horsemen were in need of unconventional jockeys. He traveled to the UK in early 1899 on the advice of his friend and fellow jockey Tod Sloan.
Career in the United Kingdom
First season
In June 1899, Martin became part of the "American invasion" of jockeys that greatly influenced and dominated British horse racing in the early twentieth century. Together with Danny Maher, Tod SloanTod Sloan (jockey)
James Forman "Tod" Sloan was an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955.-Early life and U.S. racing career:...
, Lester Reiff
Lester Reiff
Lester Berchart Reiff was an American jockey who achieved racing acclaim in the United Kingdom in the first decade of the twentieth century...
and John Reiff, Martin garnered many racing wins and dazzled the British public with his aggressive racing tactics and forward-seated posture. While colloquially known as "Skeets" in the United States, he did not race under that name in Britain, opting instead for the more prosaic sounding "J.H. Martin." His first race win occurred in August 1899 at the Rottingdean Plate on Lord William Beresford
Lord William Beresford
Lieutenant-Colonel Lord William Leslie de la Poer Beresford VC KCIE born Mullaghbrack, County Armagh, Ireland was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.The son...
's horse Blacksmith. Other racing wins included the Doncaster Stakes, Maiden Plate and September Stakes
September Stakes
The September Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Kempton Park over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early September.The event was established in 1979, and it...
. In his first season abroad, Martin won 48 out of 138 mounts and was considerably more well-thought of than Tod Sloan, who won more races but was often perceived as arrogant. Sloan and Martin, in the company of bicyclist and future racecar driver, Eddie Bald
Eddie Bald
Edward Carl Bald, or Eddie Bald, was an American racing automobile driver who was retroactively awarded the 1907 National Championship in 1951 and was a champion bicycle racer in the 1890s with the nickname "The Cannon."...
, returned to the United States in December 1899 due to the curtailing of turf events at the outbreak of the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Both jockeys returned to the UK for the start of the 1900 season in March.
1900-1902
Returning for the 1900 season, Martin won the Brocklesby Stakes and Doddington Plate in March, but his often aggressive riding style often led to trouble. He was suspended by the Jockey ClubJockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
for foul riding from May to June due to his being disqualified in the Spring Two-Year-Old Plate at Kempton Park
Kempton Park Racecourse
Kempton Park Racecourse is a horse racing track in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England, which is a western suburb of London 16 miles from the city centre. The site is set in of land....
. He followed this suspension with wins at the Triennial Stakes, Northumberland Plate
Northumberland Plate
The Northumberland Plate is a flat handicap horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Newcastle over a distance of 2 miles and 19 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late June or early July.-History:The event was established in...
, Wilton Plate, Autumn Breeder's Foal Plate and Stainsby Selling Plate. The Jockey Club refused to renew Martin's license for the 1901 season due to his continued disregard for racing etiquette and rough riding style. Tod Sloan's license was also permanently revoked, ending his racing career. Consequently, Martin obtained a license for racing in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during the 1901 season, winning the Spring Handicap at Cologne in April and finishing second in the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
under a foreign license. His UK license was reinstated in 1902. In June 1902, Martin rode J. Gubbins' brown colt Ard Patrick
Ard Patrick
Ard Patrick was a British Thoroughbred racehorse best known for winning the 1902 Epsom Derby and the 1903 Eclipse Stakes.-Pedigree:...
in the Derby Stakes, or Epsom Derby, and won against a field of 16 other horses and three other American jockeys. He finished the 1902 season with a second place finish on Volodyovski
Volodyovski
Volodyovski was a British Thoroughbred racehorse. He was owned and bred by Lady Valerie Meux who leased him for racing to Lord William Leslie de la Poer Beresford but after he died in late 1900, she re-leased the colt to the wealthy American businessman, William Collins Whitney.In 1901,...
at the Coronation Cup
Coronation Cup
The Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
and won the Princess of Wales's Stakes
Princess of Wales's Stakes
The Princess of Wales's Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the July Course at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in July.-History:The event is named in...
on Veles. He shattered his collarbone in August when his mount, Argovian, fell at the Coatham Handicap Plate, grounding him for the rest of the season.
1903-1910
Martin returned in 1903 to win the 2,000 Guineas with Rock SandRock Sand
Rock Sand was a brown Thoroughbred race horse who was a very good young galloper, winning six of his seven starts. Always showing great courage he won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Derby which earned him the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.He was a beautifully conformed...
and had a third place finish at the Doncaster Cup
Doncaster Cup
The Doncaster Cup is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 2 miles and 2 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in September....
on St. Emilion. Martin was again suspended by the Jockey Club in October 1903 for a period of eight months after starting too early in the Hopeful Stakes. His only notable placing in 1904 was a third place finish on William Rufus in the Jockey Club Stakes
Jockey Club Stakes
The Jockey Club Stakes is a Group 2 flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run over a distance of 1 mile and 4 furlongs at Newmarket, and the final part of the race is on the Rowley Mile...
and he did not gain any significant wins in 1905. In 1906, Martin won the Brighton Derby
Brighton Derby
The Brighton Derby was an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually by the Brighton Beach Racing Association at its Brighton Beach Race Course at Brighton Beach on Coney Island, New York. Open to three-year-olds, it was contested at a distance of one and one half miles on dirt...
in the United States and was third in the Epsom Derby on Troutbeck and at the Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
with Wombwell. Martin won the Lincolnshire Handicap
Lincoln Handicap
The Lincoln Handicap is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Doncaster over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late March or early April....
in 1908. He raced for the stable of Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney
Harry Payne Whitney was an American businessman, thoroughbred horsebreeder, and member of the prominent Whitney family.- Early years :...
and Louis Winans in 1909 and was Sir Martin
Sir Martin
Sir Martin was a Thoroughbred racehorse that was foaled in 1906 in Lexington, Kentucky at Hamburg Place, the stud farm of noted turfman and horse trainer John E. Madden. Sir Martin was a half brother to the first Triple Crown winner Sir Barton, and he raced in the United States, Great Britain and...
's jockey when the colt fell on Tattenham Corner at the Epsom Derby, throwing and injuring Martin. He again rode Sir Martin in the 1909 Cambridgeshire Handicap
Cambridgeshire Handicap
The Cambridgeshire Handicap is a flat horse race in Great Britain which is open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile and 1 furlong , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late September or early October.The event...
where the colt lost to Christmas Daisy and Mustapha, but Martin did win the Coronation Cup
Coronation Cup
The Coronation Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Epsom Downs over a distance of 1 mile, 4 furlongs and 10 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
on Sir Martin in 1910.
Later career
Martin twice won the King's Stand StakesKing's Stand Stakes
The King's Stand Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 5 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...
with the gelding
Gelding
A gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
Hornet's Beauty in 1911 and 1913. At the onset of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in 1914, Martin and his wife Florence left their residence in Newmarket and moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, returning to the UK in 1916. Martin was the second leading jockey in Britain in 1917, riding 32 winners. Martin retired from racing in the early 1920s.
Retirement and death
Martin kept residences in Newmarket, California and St. MoritzSt. Moritz
St. Moritz is a resort town in the Engadine valley in Switzerland. It is a municipality in the district of Maloja in the Swiss canton of Graubünden...
, Switzerland. He was an active participant in winter sports in Switzerland, notably toboggan
Toboggan
A toboggan is a simple sled which is a traditional form of transport used by the Innu and Cree of northern Canada. In modern times, it is used on snow to carry one or more people down a hill or other slope for recreation. Designs vary from simple, traditional models to modern engineered composites...
ing, both during and after his racing career. He pioneered the face-forward style of tobogganing commonly used today and participated in winter horse racing in St. Moritz. Martin fell on hard times during his retirement in the late 1930s and 40s, mostly resulting from bad real estate investments. Collections were taken in his name by friends in the United States and Europe under the name "Skeets Fund," but the money could not be transferred safely 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...
. Destitute, he died in March 1944 at a nursing home in Realta, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.