The duration of George Woolf’s professional jockey career was considered brief when compared to historical norms.
Spanning merely 18 years, from 1928 until his untimely demise in 1946 at 35, he competed in only 3,784 races, a number that the successful contemporary jockey Russell Baze exceeded within a three-year period.
Despite a career shy of two decades, Woolf achieved a degree of triumph and commanded such admiration that his selection as one of the inaugural members of the Racing Hall of Fame in 1955 stands as testament to his impact.
Even now, almost eight decades following his passing, Woolf continues to be recognized as one of the most celebrated and highly respected figures in the world of Thoroughbred racing.
Hailing from Canada, where he was born on May 31, 1910, Woolf was raised within a family immersed in equestrian pursuits; his mother performed as a trick rider in a circus, while his father was involved in rodeo competitions.
During his adolescent years, he started participating in rodeo competitions within his home province of Alberta and simultaneously commenced riding racehorses.
His inaugural race took place in 1928, and within four years, he established himself as a consistent presence at Santa Anita Park, located in Arcadia, California.
Notable early victories included the 1932 Capital Handicap at Laurel Park aboard Hygro and the 1933 Agua Caliente Handicap riding Gallant Sir.
By the late 1930s and early 1940s, Woolf had established himself as the preeminent jockey in California, securing triumphs in the majority of the region’s prominent races.
He was victorious in the Santa Anita Handicap in 1935, a race notable as the country’s initial $100,000 stakes, and subsequently claimed the Hollywood Gold Cup for three consecutive years, from 1938 to 1940.
With his increasing renown, Woolf gained recognition for his flawless talent in initiating his horses’ moves with precise timing. Contemporary accounts indicated that Woolf, known as “The Iceman” due to his calm and expert horsemanship, seldom conceded a photo finish in significant races throughout his tenure at Santa Anita.
Among the many champions he guided were Cavalcade, Challedon, Kayak II, Pompoon, Alsab, Askmenow, Busher, By Jimminy, Devil Diver, Durazna, Mar-Kell, Market Wise, Pavot, Whirlaway, and naturally, Seabiscuit.
The most celebrated contest for Woolf occurred in 1938 when he substituted for the injured “Red” Pollard, piloting Seabiscuit in the Pimlico Special, a race that evolved into a head-to-head confrontation against the 1937 Triple Crown champion, War Admiral.
Prior in that same year, upon first assuming the ride, Woolf guided Seabiscuit from the 14th position in an 18-horse field, narrowly missing victory by a nose in the Santa Anita Handicap. However, Woolf’s strategy for Seabiscuit’s subsequent races diverged significantly. During an August 1938 match race against Ligaroti at Del Mar, Woolf and Seabiscuit aggressively vied for the initial lead, clinching a thrilling win by a nose.
Three months subsequent to that, at the Pimlico Special, Woolf skillfully encouraged sufficient initial pace from Seabiscuit to seize the front. War Admiral drew alongside on the backstretch, and the pair engaged in a fierce contest until entering the final straightaway, where Seabiscuit gallantly distanced himself from the favored Triple Crown winner, triumphing by four lengths.
Many years afterwards, the Pimlico Special, along with Woolf’s performance within it, formed a pivotal element of the 2003 motion picture “Seabiscuit.” Esteemed Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens portrayed Woolf in the movie, which received an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.
Throughout the 1940s, Woolf spent portions of each year competing in New York, adding prestigious races such as the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Metropolitan Handicap, Belmont Futurity, Saratoga Special, Hopeful, and Coaching Club American Oaks to his list of achievements.
Notwithstanding his numerous track victories, Woolf contended with a prolonged struggle against diabetes, a factor that further enhances the brilliance of his achievements. Compelled to meticulously manage his weight and conserve his energy, Woolf typically participated in approximately four or five races weekly, amounting to around 200 annually, for a significant portion of his career, which consequently restricted his total career wins to a respectable 721.
Although insulin aided Woolf in managing his condition, the treatments presented adverse effects, occasionally inducing dizziness – and on one dreadful occasion, this may have ultimately claimed his life.
On January 3, 1946, at Santa Anita, Woolf consented to ride a horse called Please Me for an acquaintance despite feeling unwell. On the initial bend of the track, he abruptly dismounted. He impacted the ground with such severity that he sustained a lethal concussion and succumbed to his injuries the subsequent day.
While the equestrian community grieved the departure of one of its most prominent figures, the precise reason for Woolf’s fall remained unexplained. Accounts suggest he collapsed, bringing his enduring fight with diabetes to an exceptionally sorrowful conclusion.
Shocked by Woolf’s demise, the sport commemorated its lost champion through various tributes.
A bronze sculpture depicting Woolf at full scale was erected adjacent to the paddock at Santa Anita.
Santa Anita initiated the yearly George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1950, intended to recognize jockeys whose professional achievements and personal integrity command respect for both the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing. This award is still regarded as one of the sport’s highest accolades, and among its many notable recipients is Gary Stevens, who famously depicted Woolf in cinematic productions.
Even now, recollections of “The Iceman” remain vivid. Across numerous segments of the horse racing sector, uttering his name continues to evoke memories of an exceptionally talented jockey whose tenure on the track, though tragically brief, was unequivocally indelible.
George Woolf
Place of Birth: Cardston, Alberta
Date of Birth: May 31, 1910
Deceased: January 4, 1946
Accolades: Pioneer inductee into the Racing Hall of Fame; also enshrined in the Canada Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame. The George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award was established in his memory, designed to commend a jockey whose professional trajectory and personal integrity command respect within the individual and the realm of Thoroughbred racing. A full-scale bronze effigy was commissioned and installed in his tribute near the Santa Anita Park paddock.
