George Barbee (b. 1850 (?), Norfolk, England, d. unknown) was a jockey who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1996. Published reports indicate Barbee lived to 89 or 93, and is buried near Belmont Park.
Norfolk (IPA: //) is a low-lying county in East Anglia in the east of southern England. ... The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers. ... Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in the hamlet of Elmont, New York in Nassau County on Long Island (just outside of New York City). ...

Barbee began his racing career as an apprentice to Tom Jennings, Sr., for whom he exercised the 1865 English Triple Crown winner Gladiateur.
Gladiateur (1862-1876) was a French Hall of Fame Thoroughbred racehorse who won the English Triple Crown in 1865. ...

Barbee came to this country in 1872 specifically to ride for John Chamberlain. He began his stateside career riding at Monmouth Park.
Monmouth Park Racetrack is a one-mile oval track for thoroughbred racing in Oceanport, New Jersey. ...

Racing career

In 1873 Barbee won the inaugural Preakness Stakes aboard Survivor who won the by 10 lengths, a record until Smarty Jones 11½ length victory in 2004. He later won two other Preakness Stakes aboard Shirley (1876) and Jacobus (1883).
The Preakness Stakes is a classic 1 3/16 mile (1. ... Survivor (1870-Not Found) was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the winner of the first running of thev Preakness Stakes in 1873 at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. ... Smarty Jones (born February 28, 2001) is a thoroughbred race horse, and winner of the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. ...

His record three Preakness victories was not surpassed until Eddie Arcaro won his fourth in 1951.
Eddie Arcaro (February 19, 1916 - November 4, 1997) was born George Edward Arcaro in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the United States, the son of an impoverished taxi driver. ...

In addition to the Preakness victories, Barbee won the 1874 Belmont Stakes aboard Saxon, and the 1874 and 1875 Travers Stakes aboard Attila and D’Artagnan, respectively.
The Belmont Stakes is a prestigious Grade I stakes race held yearly in June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. ... The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. ...

Tom Ochiltree was one of Barbee's most important mounts. He took the colt to victory in the Saratoga, Monmouth, Centennial, Westchester and Baltimore Cups. Other significant horses ridden by Barbee include: Springbok, Duke of Magenta, Eole, and Uncas.

“The Great Race”

Barbee is reknowned for winning "The Great Race". The U.S. Congress shut down on October 24, 1877 for a day so its members could attend a horse race at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore. The event was a 2 1/2 -mile match race run by a trio of champions: Ten Broeck, Tom Ochiltree and Parole. Ten Broeck, the Kentucky champion, was owned by F.B. Harper. Tom Ochiltree, the Eastern champion and winner of the 1875 Preakness Stakes, was owned by George Lorillard, an heir to the Lorillard tobacco fortune. Parole, a gelding, was owned by Pierre Lorillard, George's brother.
Pimlico Race Course is a horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. ... Lorillard Tobacco Company is an American tobacco company which holds a significant share of the American tobacco market. ... Pierre Lorillard IV (October 13, 1833 – July 7, 1901) was an American tobacco manufacturer and thoroughbred race horse owner. ...

Parole, with Barbee up, prevailed with a late run, crossing the finish line three lengths ahead of Ten Broeck and six ahead of Tom Ochiltree.

An estimated 20,000 people crowded into Pimlico to witness the event.

The event is depicted in a four ton stone bas relief - copied from a Currier & Ives print and sculpted in stone by Bernard Zuckerman - hanging over the clubhouse entrance at Pimlico. It is 30 feet long and 10 feet high and is gilded in 24-karat gold leaf.

Currier and Ives was a firm headed by Nathaniel Currier (1813-1888) and James Merritt Ives (1824-1895). ...

George Barbee was inducted in the Hall of Fame in 1996, chosen by the Hall of Fame's Historical Review Committee.

Riding Career at a Glance

Years Active: 1872-1884, in this country
Number of Mounts: Approximately 490
Number of Winners: 136
Winning Percentage: 27
Stakes Victories: 65

External Sources

http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/jockey.asp?ID=165

“Hall of Fame push on for rider of 1st Preakness winner,” Kent Baker, The Baltimore Sun, May 18, 1995, Pg. 10C

“Hall of Fame to Induct First Preakness-winning Jockey,” The Sports Network, May 17, 1996

“Way Back When,” Frederick N. Rasmussen, The Baltimore Sun, May 17, 2003, p. 2E