George Martens (born September 23, 1958, in

Elmont, New York Elmont is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) located in northwestern Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, United States, along its border with the borough of Queens in New York City. The population was 35,265 at the ...

) is a retired

champion A champion (from the late Latin ''campio'') is the victor in a challenge, contest or competition. There can be a territorial pyramid of championships, e.g. local, regional / provincial, state, national, continental and world championships, an ...

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used to describe the individual ...

in American

Thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in t ...

best known for winning the 1981

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

, the third leg of the

United States Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing In the United States, the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, commonly known as the Triple Crown, is a series of horse races for three-year-old Thoroughbreds, consisting of the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. The three r ...

. In 1976, George Martens was the top rated apprentice jockey in the United States, voted the

Eclipse Award The Eclipse Award is an American Thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th-century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. An Eclipse Award Trophy is presented to the winner in each division that is made by a few small selected American ...

as the country's Outstanding Apprentice Jockey. In 1981 he earned the most important win of his career when he rode

Summing Summing (April 16, 1978 – October 10, 2008) was an American thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Background Summing was a bay horse bred in Kentucky by his owner Charles T. Wilson Jr. He was sired by Verbatim, a leading dirt performer whose wi ...

to victory in the Belmont Stakes. Martens retired from riding in 1985 but returned to racing the following year. Following his permanent retirement, he has worked as an exercise rider at

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse racing facility in the northeastern United States, located in Elmont, New York, just east of the New York City limits. It was opened on May 4, 1905. It is operated by the non-profit New York Racin ...

. Some of the horses he has prepped include

Lemon Drop Kid Lemon Drop Kid (foaled May 26, 1996) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Best known for winning the 1999 Belmont Stakes, he was also the champion older horse of 2000 after winning the Brooklyn, Suburban, Whitney Handicaps and the ...

Touch Gold Touch Gold (foaled May 26, 1994 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the winner of the Classic Belmont Stakes, in which he ended Silver Charm's bid for the U.S. Triple Crown. Background Sired by Canadian Horse Raci ...

Sharp Humor Sharp Humor (April 21, 2003 – March 31, 2015) was a Thoroughbred race horse. Connections Sharp Humor is co-owned by the Purdedel Stable, trained by Dale Romans, and ridden by Mark Guidry. Sharp Humor was bred in New York by Patrica S. Pur ...

, and

Colonial Affair Colonial Affair (April 19, 1990 – April 23, 2013) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. He was best known for winning the Belmont Stakes in 1993. Background He was sired by 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Pleasa ...

References

1958 births Living people American jockeys Eclipse Award winners People from Elmont, New York {{US-horseracing-bio-stub