Hartack, Bill

Bill Hartack, byname of William John Hartack, Jr., (born Dec. 9, 1932, Ebensburg, Pa., U.S.—died Nov. 26, 2007, near Freer, Texas), American jockey who was the second, after Eddie Arcaro, ever to win five Kentucky Derbies and the first, in 1956, to win $2 million in a single year, a record he broke the following year by earning $3 million. For three consecutive years—1955, 1956, and 1957—he was the national champion jockey, winning 417, 347, and 341 races respectively. Again in 1960 he was the national champion, with 307 winning mounts.

In 1956 Hartack rode Fabius to victory at the Preakness Stakes, and in 1957 he rode Iron Liege to victory at the Kentucky Derby. His four other Kentucky Derby winners were Venetian Way, 1960; Decidedly, 1962; Northern Dancer, 1964; and Majestic Prince, 1969. In 1964, riding Northern Dancer, he won the Preakness for a second time and, in 1969, for a third time, on Majestic Prince. He also rode the winner Celtic Ash in the Belmont Stakes in 1960 and Ridan in the Arlington Futurity in 1961. In 1972 Hartack became the fifth jockey ever to win more than 4,000 races. He retired in 1980.