24 Facts About Skeets Martin

John Henry Skeets Martin was born on January 25,1875, in Titusville, Pennsylvania.

Skeets Martin's family relocated to Santa Clara, California, in the late 1880s and young Martin began an apprenticeship at the local racetrack when he was 15.

Skeets Martin was first an exercise rider for Mr Appleby and was then employed by D Smith.

In late 1897, Skeets Martin was widely criticized in the Eastern horse racing circuit for lackluster riding performances and failing to meet contractual obligations for many of his clients, including failing to show up on a day when he had committed to ride six horses.

In 1899, Skeets Martin was contracted to ride for John Daly and the Dwyer Brothers, notably securing second place on Half-Time in a rousing nose-to-nose finish with Jean Bereaud at the Belmont Stakes.

Skeets Martin traveled to the UK in early 1899 on the advice of his friend and fellow jockey, Tod Sloan.

In June 1899, Skeets Martin became part of the "American invasion" of jockeys that greatly influenced and dominated British horse racing in the early twentieth century.

Together with Danny Maher, Tod Sloan, Lester Reiff and John Reiff, Skeets Martin garnered many racing wins and dazzled the British public with his aggressive racing tactics and forward-seated posture.

Skeets Martin followed this suspension with wins at the Triennial Stakes, Northumberland Plate, Wilton Plate, Autumn Breeder's Foal Plate and Stainsby Selling Plate.

Consequently, Skeets Martin obtained a license for racing in Germany during the 1901 season, winning the Spring Handicap at Cologne in April and finishing second in the Eclipse Stakes under a foreign license.

In June 1902, Martin rode J Gubbins' brown colt Ard Patrick in the Derby Stakes, or Epsom Derby, and won against a field of 16 other horses and three other American jockeys.

Skeets Martin finished the 1902 season with a second-place finish on Volodyovski at the Coronation Cup and won the Princess of Wales's Stakes on Veles.

Skeets Martin returned in 1903 to win the 2,000 Guineas with Rock Sand and had a third-place finish at the Doncaster Cup on St Emilion.

Skeets Martin was again suspended by the Jockey Club in October 1903 for a period of eight months after starting too early in the Hopeful Stakes.

Skeets Martin's only notable placing in 1904 was a third-place finish on William Rufus in the Jockey Club Stakes and he did not gain any significant wins in 1905.

In 1906, Skeets Martin won the Brighton Derby in the United States and was third in the Epsom Derby on Troutbeck and at the Eclipse Stakes with Wombwell.

Skeets Martin raced for the stable of Harry Payne Whitney and Louis Winans in 1909 and was Sir Martin's jockey when the colt fell on Tattenham Corner at the Epsom Derby, throwing and injuring Martin.

Skeets Martin again rode Sir Martin in the 1909 Cambridgeshire Handicap where the colt lost to Christmas Daisy and Mustapha, but Martin did win the Coronation Cup on Sir Martin in 1910.

Skeets Martin twice won the King's Stand Stakes with the gelding Hornet's Beauty in 1911 and 1913.

Skeets Martin was the second leading jockey in Britain in 1917, riding 32 winners.

Skeets Martin kept residences in Newmarket, California and St Moritz, Switzerland.

Skeets Martin was an active participant in winter sports in Switzerland, notably tobogganing, both during and after his racing career.

Skeets Martin pioneered the face-forward style of tobogganing commonly used today and participated in winter horse racing in St Moritz.

Skeets Martin fell on hard times during his retirement in the late 1930s and 40s, mostly resulting from bad real estate investments.