Sam Maple
Encyclopedia
Samuel A. Maple was an American
jockey
in Thoroughbred
horse racing
.
Born in Carrollton, Ohio
, Sam Maple was one of eight brothers and sisters. His older brother, Eddie
, was also a jockey. He began his professional riding career in 1969 in his native Ohio at Thistledown Racecourse in North Randall
where he got the first of his more than 2,500 career race wins. He would go on to compete at various tracks across the United States, earning wins in major races such as the Travers Stakes
. In 1979, he rode Smarten
to wins in four Derbys, capturing the American
, Illinois
, Ohio
, and Pennsylvania Derby
s.
In 1979, Sam Maple was the regular jockey on Smart Angle who would earn American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honors. On April 18, 1984, Maple set the Oaklawn Park track record for a mile and a sixteenth in winning the Apple Blossom Handicap
aboard Heatherten.
In 1988, Sam Maple was diagnosed as having a brain tumor
. He underwent surgery and was able to return to racing in April of the following year. In late August 1990, he was involved in a racing accident at Louisiana Downs that both broke both of his legs that kept him out of racing for several months. On September 11, 1993, Maple earned his 2,500th career win in the second race at Turfway Park
aboard Corvus.
Sam Maple earned his last win at Churchill Downs
in November 1995. After only a few rides in 1996, he retired from the sport. He and his family had made their home in Louisville, Kentucky
in the early 1990s but in the fall of 2001 they moved to Wilmore, Kentucky
where he succumbed to his cancer at age forty-eight on November 13. He was survived by his wife Jill and their four children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
in Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
.
Born in Carrollton, Ohio
Carrollton, Ohio
Carrollton is a village in Carroll County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,190 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Carroll County.Carrollton is part of the Canton–Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, Sam Maple was one of eight brothers and sisters. His older brother, Eddie
Eddie Maple
Edward Retz "Eddie" Maple is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. One of eight brothers and sisters, he was an older brother to jockey Sam Maple who won more than 2,500 races. He began riding horses at age 12 and won his first race as a professional at 17...
, was also a jockey. He began his professional riding career in 1969 in his native Ohio at Thistledown Racecourse in North Randall
North Randall, Ohio
North Randall is a village in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1027 at the 2010 census.-Geography:North Randall is located at ....
where he got the first of his more than 2,500 career race wins. He would go on to compete at various tracks across the United States, earning wins in major races such as the Travers Stakes
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
. In 1979, he rode Smarten
Smarten
Smarten was an American Thoroughbred racehorse and successful sire. Bred in Maryland by Jim and Eleanor Ryan and raced under their Ryehill Farm banner, he had a record of 27: 11-8-2 with career earnings of $716,426.-Early career:...
to wins in four Derbys, capturing the American
American Derby
The American Derby is a Thoroughbred horse race in the United States run annually at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois. The inaugural American Derby was held at the city's old Washington Park race track and raced there until 1905 when the facility was closed and the track demolished....
, Illinois
Illinois Derby
The Illinois Derby is a race for Thoroughbred horses held in early April each year. First run in 1923, the Derby takes place at Hawthorne Race Course located in Stickney/Cicero, Illinois, just west of Chicago...
, Ohio
Ohio Derby
The Ohio Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in early June at Thistledown in North Randall, Ohio.The Grade III Stakes race for three-year-olds is run on dirt over a distance of 1 and 1/16 miles....
, and Pennsylvania Derby
Pennsylvania Derby
The Pennsylvania Derby is a race for thoroughbred horses run at Parx Racing and Casino each year. The track's premiere event is open to horses, age three, willing to race on the dirt and as of 2007, offers a purse of $1 million...
s.
In 1979, Sam Maple was the regular jockey on Smart Angle who would earn American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly honors. On April 18, 1984, Maple set the Oaklawn Park track record for a mile and a sixteenth in winning the Apple Blossom Handicap
Apple Blossom Handicap
The Apple Blossom Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run each year in early April during the Racing Festival of the South at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The Grade I race is open to Fillies and Mares, four years old and up...
aboard Heatherten.
In 1988, Sam Maple was diagnosed as having a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
. He underwent surgery and was able to return to racing in April of the following year. In late August 1990, he was involved in a racing accident at Louisiana Downs that both broke both of his legs that kept him out of racing for several months. On September 11, 1993, Maple earned his 2,500th career win in the second race at Turfway Park
Turfway Park
Turfway Park is an American horse racing track located just outside the city limits to the north of Florence, Kentucky, about 10 miles south of the Ohio River at Cincinnati...
aboard Corvus.
Sam Maple earned his last win at Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs
Churchill Downs, located in Central Avenue in south Louisville, Kentucky, United States, is a Thoroughbred racetrack most famous for hosting the Kentucky Derby annually. It officially opened in 1875, and held the first Kentucky Derby and the first Kentucky Oaks in the same year. Churchill Downs...
in November 1995. After only a few rides in 1996, he retired from the sport. He and his family had made their home in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
in the early 1990s but in the fall of 2001 they moved to Wilmore, Kentucky
Wilmore, Kentucky
Wilmore is a city in Jessamine County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 6,134 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Lexington–Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area...
where he succumbed to his cancer at age forty-eight on November 13. He was survived by his wife Jill and their four children.