Bill Hartack dead at 74

By: SPORTS NETWORK

 Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Hall of Fame jockey Bill Hartack has been found dead at the age of 74. Hartack died from an apparent heart attack in a hunting cabin in southern Texas on Monday, November 26 according to the Daily Racing Form.

Trainer Michael Stidham confirmed that an autopsy has been performed, but the results have yet to be released.

A native of western Pennsylvania, Hartack was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1959 at the age of 27. He was a five-time winner of the Kentucky Derby, joining Eddie Arcaro as the only jockeys to achieve the feat.

Hartack first won the Run for the Roses in 1957 with Iron Liege when Bill Shoemaker misjudged the finish line aboard Gallant Man. Hartack went on to win the race four more times with Venetian Way in 1960, Decidedly in 1962, Northern Dancer in 1964 and Majestic Prince in 1969.

Hartack won the Preakness Stakes three times with Fabius in 1956, Northern Dancer in 1964 and Majestic Prince in 1969. His only Belmont Stakes victory came in 1960 on Celtic Ash.

Hartack rode his first winner at West Virginia's Waterford Park at age 20. When he retired in 1975 he had accumulated 4,272 wins in 21,535 mounts and $26,466,758. He went on to ride in Hong Kong from 1978 to 1980.

Mostly recently Hartack was a steward at Louisiana Downs.