Sloan, "Todhunter" (James F.)
Horse Racing
b. Aug. 10, 1873, Kokomo, IN
d. Dec. 21, 1933
Nicknamed "Toad" when he was young, Sloan later altered that to "Tod" and persuaded people that it was short for "Todhunter." He had a powerful torso but very short legs, so he rode with short stirrups and adopted a style that became known as the "monkey crouch," with his knees pulled up and his head against the horse's neck.
Many laughed at his riding posture, but it proved effective, partly because it reduced win resistance. Sloan's success persuaded other jockeys to adopt the style.
From 1896 through 1898, Sloan rode 455 winners in 1,443 races, a victory ratio of nearly 38 percent.
Sloan did a great deal of racing in England beginning in 1897, but his arrogance and flamboyant lifestyle annoyed British racing authorities, who expected jockeys to be subservient. He was told not to bother applying for a British jockey license in 1900.
He returned to the U. S. and won the Futurity and Flatbush Stakes aboard Ballyhoo Bey in 1900, his last successful year. Like many jockeys, Sloan then began having weight problems. He ran a Paris bar for a time and had unsuccessful appearances in vaudeville and the movies. A heavy drinker who affected enormous cigars, he died of cirrhosis.