Steve Cauthen

Steve Cauthen, often known as “The Kentucky Kid,” is a legendary figure in horse racing and the only jockey to have ever won both the Kentucky Derby and the Epsom Derby.

He burst onto the American scene as a teenage sensation, becoming the youngest jockey to win the U.S. Triple Crown in 1978 aboard the great Affirmed at just 18 years old. His early career in the U.S. was record-breaking; in 1977 alone, he won 487 races and became the first jockey to earn over $6 million in a single season.

In 1979, struggling with weight restrictions in the U.S, Cauthen moved to Great Britain, where he quickly adapted his riding style to European tracks. He became the principal rider for the powerful Henry Cecil stable and was crowned British Champion Jockey three times (1984, 1985, 1987).

His time in Europe was incredibly prolific, yielding 10 English Classic wins, including a Fillies’ Triple Crown with Oh So Sharp in 1985. He remains the only rider in history to sweep the four major international Derbies: the Kentucky, Epsom, Irish, and French.