Sam Day (jockey)
Sam Day (1802–66) was an English jockey who won The Derby on 3 occasions: in 1821 aboard the grey Gustavus, in 1830 on Priam and once again atop Pyrrhus The First in the 1846 Derby.[1] He also won a 1,000 Guineas / Oaks double in 1846 on Mendicant.[2]
The son of John Day, and brother of John Barham Day, he became apprenticed to a trainer called Cooper, who trained for the Duke of York in Newmarket. After his second Derby win, he retired to a farm near Reading, but when this was not a financial success he wasted back down to 7 stone 12 pounds and, with help from his nephew John, resumed riding.[3] When eventually he retired again, he trained on a small scale at Ascot.[3]
He was one of several horsemen from the Day family, but was reputed to be more honest than other family members.[2] He was a cheerful, hardy man[2] and a tough, wiry, elegant rider.[3]
References
- The New sporting magazine. p. 65.
- Wright 1986, p. 73.
- Mortimer, Onslow & Willett 1978, p. 164.
Bibliography
- Mortimer, Roger; Onslow, Richard; Willett, Peter (1978). Biographical Encyclopaedia of British Racing. London: Macdonald and Jane's. ISBN 0-354-08536-0.
- Wright, Howard (1986). The Encyclopaedia of Flat Racing. London: Robert Hale. ISBN 0-7090-2639-0.