Jacobs, Hirsch
Horse racing
b. April 8, 1904, New York, NY
d. Feb. 13, 1970
The trainer of more thoroughbred winners than anyone else in history, Jacobs originally trained racing pigeons in partnership with Johnny Ferraro. In 1924, Ferraro acquired a horse and Jacobs became his trainer.
Jacobs' specialty during the next twenty years was claiming horses and turning them into big winners. He formed a partnership with Isidore Bieber in 1928, with Bieber serving as money man and owner while Jacobs did the training. He led all trainers in winners every year from 1933 through 1944, except 1940.
A new phase of his career began when he claimed Stymie for $1,500. Stymie became one of the all-time great thoroughbreds, winning 35 races and $918,485, a record at the time. He was handicap horse of the year in 1945.
With some of the money earned by Stymie, Bieber and Jacobs set up their own breeding farm, Stymie Manor. From 1946 through 1969, Jacobs worked with horses that won more than $30 million. As a trainer, he led in earnings in 1946, 1960, and 1965. Stymie Manor led all breeders in winnings from 1964 through 1967.
After suffering a stroke in 1966, Jacobs became less active and his son, John, took over much of the responsibility for training Stymie Manor's best horses. Jacobs died of a heart attack in 1970.
He trained a record 3,596 winners that earned $15,340,534. Among his best horses were Hail to Reason, the two-year-old champion in 1960; Regal Gleam, champion two-year-old filly in 1966; Straight Deal, the champion handicap mare in 1967; and Affectionately, champion sprinter in 1965. Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore in 1975 memorialized him with the Hirsch Jacobs Stakes.