Sam Day (jockey)

This article is about the triple Epsom Derby winning jockey of the early 19th century. For his nephew, the 1837 St. Leger winning English jockey, see Sam Day, Jr. For other uses, see Sam Day.

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]

  1. ^ The New sporting magazine. p. 65.
  2. ^ a b c Wright 1986, p. 73.
  3. ^ a b c Mortimer, Onslow & Willett 1978, p. 164.