Daniel A. Maher
Encyclopedia
Daniel Aloysius Maher was an American
Hall of Fame
jockey
who also became a Champion jockey in Great Britain
.
on Ethelbert (1900), the Brooklyn Handicap
and Toboggan Handicap
on Banaster (1899), the Champagne Stakes on Lothario (1898), and the Ladies Handicap
on Oneck Queen (1900). Danny Maher was America's leading jockey in 1898.
Anti-gambling
sentiment and restrictions on racing led Maher and other jockeys to leave America for Europe
where they quickly made a mark on European racing.
on the colt David Garrick, owned by American Pierre Lorillard IV
. In 1903, Maher won two-thirds of England's Triple Crown with Rock Sand
. He also won the Epsom Derby
three times (1903, 1905, 1906), five Eclipse Stakes
(1902, 1904, 1906, 1909, 1910), and was a two-time winner of the Ascot Gold Cup
(1906, 1909).
He was Britain's leading jockey in 1908 and 1913, the year he obtained British citizenship.
Maher died at the age of 35 of consumption
. He is buried in Paddington Cemetery, Mill Hill
, London, England.
In 1955, Maher was one of the inaugural inductees in the United States' Racing Hall of Fame
.
Number of Mounts: 6,781
Number of Winners: 1,771
Winning Percentage: 26.1 percent
British Riding Career: 1900-1915
Number of Mounts: 5,684 est.
Number of Winners: 1,421
Winning Percentage: 25 percent
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
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...
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
who also became a Champion jockey in Great Britain
British flat racing Champion Jockey
The Champion Jockey of flat racing in Great Britain is the jockey who has ridden the most winning horses during a season. The list below shows the Champion Jockey and the number of winners for each year since 1840...
.
U.S. Riding Career
Danny Maher commenced his career at the age of 14, weighing 65 pounds. He served his apprenticeship under Bill Daly, a well known trainer of jockeys. Three years later, in 1898, he topped America’s jockey's list. Maher was best known in the United States for winning the Metropolitan HandicapMetropolitan Handicap
The Metropolitan Handicap, frequently called the "Met Mile," is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held annually during the last week of May at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Open to horses age three and older, it is contested on dirt over a distance of one mile .The Met Mile was first...
on Ethelbert (1900), the Brooklyn Handicap
Brooklyn Handicap
The Brooklyn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York, on Long Island. It currently is a Grade II event open to three-year-olds and up willing to race one and one-half miles on dirt....
and Toboggan Handicap
Toboggan Handicap
The Toboggan Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually during the first week of March at Aqueduct Race Track in Queens, New York. Open to horses aged three and older, the Grade III event is contested over at a distance of six furlongs on the dirt and offers a purse of $100,000 ...
on Banaster (1899), the Champagne Stakes on Lothario (1898), and the Ladies Handicap
Ladies Handicap
The Ladies Handicap is a historic American Thoroughbred horse race for fillies three years of age and older that is held annually at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. Inaugurated at the Jerome Park Racetrack in 1868, it is the oldest stakes race in the U.S. exclusively for fillies and mares...
on Oneck Queen (1900). Danny Maher was America's leading jockey in 1898.
Anti-gambling
Gambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
sentiment and restrictions on racing led Maher and other jockeys to leave America for Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
where they quickly made a mark on European racing.
English Riding Career
In England, Maher won 1,421 races with 25 percent of his mounts. He won his first English Classic on Aida in the 1901 1,000 Guineas and later that year won the Chester CupChester Cup
The Chester Cup is a flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Chester over a distance of 2 miles, 2 furlongs and 147 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in May....
on the colt David Garrick, owned by American Pierre Lorillard IV
Pierre Lorillard IV
Pierre Lorillard IV was an American tobacco manufacturer and thoroughbred race horse owner.-Biography:...
. In 1903, Maher won two-thirds of England's Triple Crown with Rock Sand
Rock Sand
Rock Sand was a brown Thoroughbred race horse who was a very good young galloper, winning six of his seven starts. Always showing great courage he won the 2,000 Guineas Stakes, St. Leger Stakes and Epsom Derby which earned him the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing.He was a beautifully conformed...
. He also won the Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
three times (1903, 1905, 1906), five Eclipse Stakes
Eclipse Stakes
The Eclipse Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged three years or older. It is run at Sandown Park over a distance of 1 mile, 2 furlongs and 7 yards , and it is scheduled to take place each year in early July.-History:The event is named after Eclipse, a...
(1902, 1904, 1906, 1909, 1910), and was a two-time winner of the Ascot Gold Cup
Ascot Gold Cup
The Gold Cup is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to thoroughbreds aged four years or older. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 2 miles and 4 furlongs , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June....
(1906, 1909).
He was Britain's leading jockey in 1908 and 1913, the year he obtained British citizenship.
Maher died at the age of 35 of consumption
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. He is buried in Paddington Cemetery, Mill Hill
Mill Hill
Mill Hill is a place in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a suburb situated 9 miles north west of Charing Cross. Mill Hill was in the historic county of Middlesex until it was absorbed by London...
, London, England.
In 1955, Maher was one of the inaugural inductees in the United States' Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
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...
.
Career at a Glance
U.S. Riding Career: 1895-1900Number of Mounts: 6,781
Number of Winners: 1,771
Winning Percentage: 26.1 percent
British Riding Career: 1900-1915
Number of Mounts: 5,684 est.
Number of Winners: 1,421
Winning Percentage: 25 percent