Day said, "This is an end to a storybook career that has just taken me above and beyond my wildest expectations. This is a decision that I came to very difficultly. I think I got the nod from God a year ago and I failed to pay heed to all of the instructions."A hip injury and surgery to repair damaged cartilage ended Day's record 21-year streak of Kentucky Derby mounts this year. He resumed riding in mid-May and did win a stakes race, but has not ridden since the Delware Handicap on July 17.The Colorado native started his career as a rodeo cowboy, but because of his height of 4'11" and weight of 100 lbs. was persuaded to become a jockey. This proved to be the perfect choice for him, as he will retire with 8,803 career victories, fourth on the all-time win list, and $297,941,912 in earnings, the most of any jockey ever so far. He also holds the record for earnings in Breeders' Cup races of $22,913,360 with 12 wins, second most of any jockey.Day is the only jockey to have ridden in each of the first 20 Breeders' Cups and has the second most victories there with 12. He also has nine wins in Triple Crown races: the 1992 Kentucky Derby on Lil E. Tee, five victories in the Preakness, and three wins in the Belmont Stakes. He even won the Canadian Triple Crown on the filly Dance Smartly in 1991 and went on to win the Breeders' Cup Distaff with her later in the year.Speaking about his long and storied career, Day said, "Lil E Tee in the Derby stands out above all of them. Of all the race that I've been blessed with the opportunity to win, the thrill of winning them pales in comparison to the joy and fill of winning the Kentucky Derby. That race certainly is the cornerstone."His home turf is Kentucky where is has won numerous riding titles at both Churchill Downs and Keeneland. He is the all-time leading rider at Churchill with 2,481 wins including 155 stakes wins, and has had five winners on a card 21 times there. He also set a North American record in 1989 when he won eight races out of nine in one day at Arlington Park.He was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1991, has won the Eclipse Award for leading jockey in 1984, 1986, 1987, and 1991, received the George Woolf Memorial Award in 1985, and received the Mike Venezia Memorial Award in 1995. He is also a past president of the Jockey's Guild.Early in his career Day was involved in drug and alcohol abuse, but overcame his addictions to became a born-again Christian and the official spokesman to the racing industry for the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America. He did a tour to benefit the RTCA in 2004 and will work closely with them after his retirement."I plan to work for the Racetrack Chaplaincy of America as an industry spokesperson," Day said. "At this juncture, I'm not being called to leave the industry, I'm merely giving up my tack. I'm no longer participating as a jockey, but I will still be involved in the racing industry that's been so incredibly good to me and my family for 32 years. That I might not be seen as visible as I once was, I'm still hopefully going to be positive contributing part of the community."
Pat Day on the web:
- NTRA bio
- Racing Hall of Fame bio
- Keeneland bio
- NYRA bio
- Hot Springs Walk of Fame bio
- Wrestling Hall of Fame bio (he was a wrestler in high school)
- Thoroughbred Times bio
- "What a Difference a Day Makes" tour photos - from Remington Park
- Christian Sports Minute bio
