Born: Oct. 13, 1953, Brush, Colorado
Resident: Louisville, Kentucky
Height: 4'11"
Weight: 105
Family: wife Sheila Ann, daughter Irene Elizabeth.

On September 11, 2002 Pat Day passed Chris McCarron as the all-time leader in earnings, reaching the $264,580,968, with his win in the Grade 1 Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap at Saratoga.

Pat Day 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.

Pat Day has since won the Eclipse Award four times as North America's outstanding jockey, and in the summer of 1997 became only the fourth rider in history to notch 7,000 career victories

Career

• Through Sept. 25, 2004, he was ranked 11th nationally in money won with $7,963,343.
• Through Sept. 25, 2004, he had 124 wins from 596 starts.
• Inducted into Racing Hall of Fame in 1991.
• The top money-winning jockey in Breeders' Cup history with $22,913,360, and the only jockey to have ridden in all 20 Breeders' Cups.
• Has second-most victories in Breeders' Cup history with 12 in 112 rides. Has won four Classics with Cat Thief (1999), Awesome Again (1998), Unbridled (1990) and Wild Again (1984); three Distaffs, with Unbridled Elaine (2001), Dance Smartly (1991) and Lady's Secret (1986); one Turf, with Theatrical (1987); two Juveniles, with Favorite Trick (1997) and Timber Country (1994); and two Juvenile Fillies, with Flanders (1994) and Epitome (1987).
• Has nine Triple Crown victories: one Kentucky Derby with Lil E. Tee (1992); five Preakness Stakes, with Tank's Prospect (1985); Summer Squall (1990), Tabasco Cat (1994), Timber Country (1995) and Louis Quatorze (1996); and three Belmont Stakes, with Easy Goer (1989), Tabasco Cat (1994) and Commendable (2000).
• Top mounts this year have included Azeri (G1 Go For Wand Handicap) and Mayo On the Side (G1 Humana Distaff Handicap).
• As a child, Day dreamed of becoming a professional rodeo cowboy, but because of his size, he was persuaded to look into being a jockey. Got a job at the Riverside Thoroughbred Farm in Southern California in January 1973, which began his career as a rider.
• First victory was aboard Forblunged on July 29, 1973 at Prescott Downs, Ariz. Value of the race was $600 with $360 to the winner.
• Was involved in drugs and alcohol early in his career before becoming a born-again Christian in the 1980s
• Racing Industry Representative for the Race Track Chaplaincy of America. Beginning on July 20 of 2004, Day embarked on a tour to benefit the RTCA called "What a Difference a Day Makes." Scheduled for at least 10 stops at 10 different race tracks, Day personally meets fans and takes part in media promotions. During the visits, Day rides in one or two races, but gives the riding fees back to the horses' scheduled riders.
• Has won numerous riding titles all over the country, including Arlington Park, Churchill Downs and Keeneland (he's the all-time leading rider at Churchill and Keeneland).
• Eclipse Award winner as outstanding jockey in 1984, 1986, 1987 and 1991.
• Set a North American record at Arlington Park in 1989 when he won eight of nine mounts in one day.
• Scored his 8,000th career victory aboard Camden Park on May 31, 2001, at Churchill Downs, following Laffit Pincay, Jr., and Bill Shoemaker to that plateau.
• Set North American lifetime earnings record on Aug. 10, 2002, surpassing Chris McCarron, when he won the Sword Dancer Invitational Handicap aboard With Anticipation.