Michael Hole

Michael "Mike" Hole (March 29, 1941 – April 22, 1976) was a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.

Born in Canterbury, England, Michael Hole moved to the United States in 1961 where he rode professionally for fourteen years, winning 2042 races while riding horses to earnings of US$13,520,479. He was a regular rider at NYRA tracks in New York and at Monmouth Park Racetrack, Garden State Park Racetrack, and the Atlantic City Race Course in New Jersey. In winter, Michael Hole relocated to Florida where he competed at Tropical Park, Hialeah Park and at Gulfstream Park.

In the U.S. Triple Crown series, Michael Hole rode in three Kentucky Derbys with his best result a fifth-place finish in 1973. He finished tenth in the 1970 Preakness Stakes. Among his early major wins, Michael Hole captured the 1969 Jersey Derby aboard Al Hattab. In 1971, he took over as the regular rider of the 1970 American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly, Forward Gal, piloting her to wins in the Comely Stakes, Gazelle Handicap, Monmouth Oaks and the Betsy Ross Handicap. In 1975, Michael Hole was the principal rider of Dearly Precious, helping to guide her to that year's Eclipse Award as the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly.

On May 11, 1968, Michael Hole rode four winners on a single race card at Suffolk Downs then did it for the second time on January 3, 1970, at Gulfstream Park and for a third time at Aqueduct Racetrack on November 6, 1974. His most successful winning day came on November 8, 1969, at Garden State Park when he rode five winners of which four came in succession. Provided by Wikipedia