334:
531:
555:, both during and after his racing career. He pioneered the face-forward style of tobogganing commonly used today and participated in winter horse racing in St. Moritz. Martin fell on hard times during his retirement in the late 1930s and 40s, mostly resulting from bad real estate investments. Collections were taken in his name by friends in the United States and Europe under the name "Skeets Fund," but the money could not be transferred safely during
286:, and the two were often pitted against each other on Smith's mounts. Pittsburgh Phil considered Sloan to be the better of his two jockeys and would often put Martin on his less successful horses. In late 1897, 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.
366:, Martin garnered many racing wins and dazzled the British public with his aggressive racing tactics and forward-seated posture. While colloquially known as "Skeets" in the United States, he did not race under that name in Britain, opting instead for the more prosaic sounding "J.H. Martin." His first race win occurred in August 1899 at the Rottingdean Plate on
410:, Wilton Plate, Autumn Breeder's Foal Plate and Stainsby Selling Plate. The Jockey Club refused to renew Martin's license for the 1901 season due to his continued disregard for racing etiquette and rough riding style. Tod Sloan's license was also permanently revoked, ending his racing career. Consequently, Martin obtained a license for racing in
265:
He was first an exercise rider for Mr. Appleby and was then employed by D. Smith. His first race win was in 1896 aboard the 100:1 long shot La
Mascota owned by John G. Follansbee. Weighing only 80 lbs and standing at barely five feet tall, Martin soon acquired the nickname of "Skeets" because he
316:
While the allegations of cheating effectively ended his U.S. career, there was ample opportunity for success abroad as many
American horsemen were expanding their racing interests overseas and British horsemen were in need of unconventional jockeys. He traveled to the
374:. In his first season abroad, Martin won 48 out of 138 mounts and was considerably more well-thought of than Tod Sloan, who won more races but was often perceived as arrogant. Sloan and Martin, in the company of bicyclist and future racecar driver,
466:
on St. Emilion. 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. His only notable placing in 1904 was a third-place finish on William Rufus in the
246:. Martin's technique was often at odds with racing authority rules, his license being suspended several times, and his early career was marred by allegations of cheating and underhanded gambling practices.
33:
862:
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In June 1899, Martin became part of the "American invasion" of jockeys that greatly influenced and dominated
British horse racing in the early twentieth century. Together with
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These slights cost him dearly and he was not contracted for much of the 1898 season by any of the major
Thoroughbred owners. In 1899, Martin was contracted to ride for
631:
527:, returning to the UK in 1916. Martin was the second leading jockey in Britain in 1917, riding 32 winners. Martin retired from racing in the early 1920s.
309:
a race that would have won Daly $ 15,000. By 1899, Martin (at the age of 23) had won 269 out of 1257 mounts, with 242 seconds and 181 thirds in his short
430:, or Epsom Derby, and won against a field of 16 other horses and three other American jockeys. He finished the 1902 season with a second-place finish on
491:'s jockey when the colt fell on Tattenham Corner at the Epsom Derby, throwing and injuring Martin. He again rode Sir Martin in the 1909
535:
942:
122:
600:
Ancestry
Library, from 1916 U.S. passport application. Roll 0285 - Certificates: 14701-15100, 10 Jan 1916-13 Jan 1916.
305:. But despite his successes, Martin was dropped from Daly's employ in May 1899 due to a pervasive rumor that he had
446:
in August when his mount, Argovian, fell at the
Coatham Handicap Plate, grounding him for the rest of the season.
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under a foreign license. His UK license was reinstated in 1902. In June 1902, Martin rode J. Gubbins' brown colt
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and
Doddington Plate in March, but his aggressive riding style often led to trouble. He was suspended by the
378:, returned to the United States in December 1899 due to the curtailing of turf events at the outbreak of the
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262:, in the late 1880s and young Martin began an apprenticeship at the local racetrack when he was 15.
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for foul riding from May to June due to his being disqualified in the Spring Two-Year-Old Plate at
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during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. His most notable race wins were the 1902
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370:'s horse Blacksmith. Other racing wins included the Doncaster Stakes, Maiden Plate and
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551:, Switzerland. He was an active participant in winter sports in Switzerland, notably
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297:, notably securing second place on Half-Time in a rousing nose-to-nose finish with
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in the United States and was third in the Epsom Derby on
Troutbeck and at the
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382:. Both jockeys returned to the UK for the start of the 1900 season in March.
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where the colt lost to
Christmas Daisy and Mustapha, but Martin did win the
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and he did not gain any significant wins in 1905. In 1906, Martin won the
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282:, the notorious gambler called "Pittsburgh Phil." Smith also employed
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664:"Jockey Martin fails to keep his engagements to ride six horses."
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559:. Destitute, he died in March 1944 at a nursing home in Realta,
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in 1914, Martin and his wife Florence left their residence in
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in early 1899 on the advice of his friend and fellow jockey,
73:
538:
caricature of Martin done by Roland L'Estrange (a.k.a. Ao).
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who achieved many racing wins in the United States and the
851:"The Alps: home of the white Christmas." December 9, 1911.
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during the 1901 season, winning the Spring Handicap at
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88:
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Martin kept residences in Newmarket, California and
249:
901:. "Death of J.H. Martin." February 1, 1945. Page 6.
254:John Henry Martin was born on January 25, 1875, in
515:Hornet's Beauty in 1911 and 1913. At the onset of
632:"Former Santa Clara rider becomes famous jockey."
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402:. He followed this suspension with wins at the
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390:Returning for the 1900 season, Martin won the
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337:Skeets Martin (left) and Tod Sloan at
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822:"Jockey Martin suspended in England."
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669:
578:
576:
418:in April and finishing second in the
218:(1875–1944), commonly referred to as
889:at National Horse Racing Museum (UK)
791:"Jockey Martin's collarbone broken."
603:
483:in 1908. He raced for the stable of
462:and had a third-place finish at the
761:"Why Martin's license was refused."
454:Martin returned in 1903 to win the
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14:
954:
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618:Riverside Press, Edinburgh. 1915.
487:and Louis Winans in 1909 and was
250:Early life and U.S. racing career
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278:on Howard Man while racing for
943:Sportspeople from Pennsylvania
716:"Sloan, Martin and Bald here."
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479:with Wombwell. Martin won the
1:
776:"Martin won on German track."
746:"American Jockeys win again."
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887:John "Skeets" Martin Profile
807:"Jocky Maher wins big race."
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329:Career in the United Kingdom
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442:on Veles. He shattered his
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861:Staff (28 December 1936).
628:The Evening News- San Jose
586:"A column for race-goers."
440:Princess of Wales's Stakes
258:. His family relocated to
147:Princess of Wales's Stakes
25:John Henry "Skeets" Martin
837:"Rock Sand's rich prize."
731:"Sloan leads in England."
682:"American jockey praised"
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256:Titusville, Pennsylvania
59:Titusville, Pennsylvania
698:"American jockeys win."
499:on Sir Martin in 1910.
493:Cambridgeshire Handicap
260:Santa Clara, California
684:< February 3, 1918.
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368:Lord William Beresford
342:
274:. In 1897, he won the
648:"Suburban for Dwyer."
615:Tod Sloan-by himself.
533:
507:Martin twice won the
481:Lincolnshire Handicap
339:Morris Park Racetrack
336:
270:while riding a large
152:Lincolnshire Handicap
612:James Forman Sloan.
543:Retirement and death
408:Northumberland Plate
169:British Classic Race
142:Northumberland Plate
133:United Kingdom wins:
108:First Special Stakes
71:March 1944 (aged 69)
839:September 30, 1904.
809:September 12, 1903.
733:September 17, 1899.
509:King's Stand Stakes
485:Harry Payne Whitney
266:looked like a tiny
162:King's Stand Stakes
104:United States wins:
87:1257: 269-242-181 (
718:December 24, 1899.
540:
469:Jockey Club Stakes
343:
222:, was an American
188:Significant horses
93:138: 48-?-? (1899)
849:Town and Country.
666:October 14, 1897.
392:Brocklesby Stakes
276:Brooklyn Handicap
216:John Henry Martin
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123:Golden Rod Stakes
113:Brooklyn Handicap
98:Major racing wins
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933:American jockeys
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404:Triennial Stakes
372:September Stakes
137:September Stakes
56:January 25, 1875
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557:World War II
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503:Later career
453:
438:and won the
428:Derby Stakes
400:Kempton Park
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360:Lester Reiff
349:
346:First season
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299:Jean Bereaud
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272:Thoroughbred
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167:
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164:(1911, 1913)
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928:1944 deaths
923:1875 births
561:Switzerland
553:tobogganing
536:Vanity Fair
517:World War I
432:Volodyovski
424:Ard Patrick
396:Jockey Club
352:Danny Maher
236:Ard Patrick
232:Epsom Derby
208:Volodyovski
194:Ard Patrick
175:Epsom Derby
84:Career wins
78:Switzerland
917:Categories
567:References
549:St. Moritz
525:California
489:Sir Martin
444:collarbone
376:Eddie Bald
364:John Reiff
204:Sir Martin
43:Occupation
37:circa 1900
899:The Times
867:The Times
521:Newmarket
511:with the
460:Rock Sand
450:1903-1910
386:1900-1902
356:Tod Sloan
323:Tod Sloan
313:career.
291:John Daly
284:Tod Sloan
244:Rock Sand
200:Rock Sand
293:and the
268:mosquito
513:gelding
434:at the
426:in the
416:Cologne
412:Germany
341:in 1899
301:at the
872:4 July
307:thrown
224:jockey
182:(1903)
177:(1902)
159:(1910)
154:(1908)
149:(1902)
144:(1900)
139:(1899)
130:(1906)
125:(1897)
120:(1897)
115:(1897)
110:(1896)
74:Realta
47:Jockey
534:1907
458:with
171:wins:
874:2011
362:and
68:Died
53:Born
242:on
234:on
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319:UK
311:US
89:US
76:,
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91:)
61:,
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