# David Erb

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{{Short description|American jockey (1923–2019)}}
{{Infobox horseracing personality
|name  = David Erb
|image  = 
|caption  = 
|occupation  = [Jockey](/source/Jockey) / [Trainer](/source/Horse_trainer) / Owner
|birth_place = [Grand Island](/source/Grand_Island%2C_Nebraska), Nebraska,<br />United States
|birth_date =  November 28, 1923
|death_date  = November 22, 2019 (aged 95)
|death_place  = [Saratoga Springs](/source/Saratoga_Springs%2C_New_York), New York,<br />United States
|career wins  = Not found
|race  = '''As a jockey:'''<br />[Hollywood Lassie Stakes](/source/Hollywood_Lassie_Stakes) (1951)<br />[Stars and Stripes Handicap](/source/Stars_and_Stripes_Turf_Handicap) (1954, 1955)<br />[Arlington Futurity](/source/Arlington-Washington_Futurity_Stakes) (1955)<br />[Arlington Lassie Stakes](/source/Arlington-Washington_Lassie_Stakes) (1955)<br />[Bashford Manor Stakes](/source/Bashford_Manor_Stakes) (1955)<br />[Californian Stakes](/source/Californian_Stakes) (1955)<br />[Washington Park Futurity](/source/Washington_Park_Futurity) (1955)<br />[Arlington Classic](/source/Arlington_Classic) (1956)<br />[Clark Handicap](/source/Clark_Handicap) (1956)<br />[Flamingo Stakes](/source/Flamingo_Stakes) (1956)<br />[Florida Derby](/source/Florida_Derby) (1956)<br />[Pimlico Special](/source/Pimlico_Special) (1956)<br />[St. Louis Derby](/source/St._Louis_Derby_(Cahokia_Downs)) (1956)<br />[Churchill Downs Handicap](/source/Churchill_Downs_Stakes) (1957)<br />[Gallorette Handicap](/source/Gallorette_Handicap) (1957)<br />[Equipoise Mile Handicap](/source/Hanshin_Cup_Handicap) (1957, 1958)<br />[Black Helen Handicap](/source/Black_Helen_Handicap) (1958)<br />[Blue Grass Stakes](/source/Blue_Grass_Stakes) (1958)<br />[Comely Stakes](/source/Comely_Stakes) (1959)<br />[National Stallion Stakes](/source/National_Stallion_Stakes) (1959)
<p>'''[American Classic Race](/source/American_Classic_Races) wins:'''<br />[Kentucky Derby](/source/Kentucky_Derby) (1956)<br />[Belmont Stakes](/source/Belmont_Stakes) (1956)</p>
'''As a trainer:'''<br />[Vosburgh Stakes](/source/Vosburgh_Stakes) (1965)<br />[Westchester Handicap](/source/Westchester_Handicap) (1966, 1968)<br />[Bewitch Stakes](/source/Bewitch_Stakes) (1967)<br />[Fashion Stakes](/source/Fashion_Stakes) (1967)<br />[Sport Page Handicap](/source/Sport_Page_Handicap) (1967)<br />[Sysonby Handicap](/source/Sysonby_Handicap) (1967)<br />[Juvenile Stakes](/source/Juvenile_Stakes_(United_States)) (1970)<br />[Comely Stakes](/source/Comely_Stakes) (1972)<br />[Remsen Stakes](/source/Remsen_Stakes) (1973)
|awards = 
|honors  = 
|horses  = '''As a jockey:'''<br />[Swaps](/source/Swaps_(horse)), [Mark-Ye-Well](/source/Mark-Ye-Well), [Swoon's Son](/source/Swoon's_Son), [Needles](/source/Needles_(horse)),<br />[Iron Liege](/source/Iron_Liege), [Searching](/source/Searching_(horse)), [Bally Ache](/source/Bally_Ache)<br />'''As a trainer:'''<br />[Hurry to Market](/source/Hurry_to_Market), [R. Thomas](/source/R._Thomas)
|updated  =
}}
'''David Erb''' (November 28, 1923 – November 22, 2019) was an American [jockey](/source/jockey) and trainer in [Thoroughbred](/source/Thoroughbred) [horse racing](/source/horse_racing). He started riding as a young farm boy and began his professional riding career in 1938, competing at tracks in his native Nebraska. He got his first win at [Oaklawn Park Race Track](/source/Oaklawn_Park_Race_Track) in [Hot Springs, Arkansas](/source/Hot_Springs%2C_Arkansas).

Born in [Grand Island, Nebraska](/source/Grand_Island%2C_Nebraska), as boy David Erb's family moved to a farm at [York, Nebraska](/source/York%2C_Nebraska). He had his first introduction to horse racing at a [Nebraska State Fair](/source/Nebraska_State_Fair) which triggered a desire to become a jockey and at age fifteen he rode competitively for the first time at a [bush track](/source/bush_track) in [Clay Center, Nebraska](/source/Clay_Center%2C_Nebraska).<ref>[https://yorknewstimes.com/news/oldest-kentucky-derby-winner-remembers-york/article_9d9d97e2-9601-11e3-af35-0019bb2963f4.html '' York News-Times'' Oldest Kentucky Derby winner remembers York] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180702164517/https://www.yorknewstimes.com/news/oldest-kentucky-derby-winner-remembers-york/article_9d9d97e2-9601-11e3-af35-0019bb2963f4.html|date=July 2, 2018}}</ref> 

In the June 18, 1955 [Californian Stakes](/source/Californian_Stakes) at [Hollywood Park Racetrack](/source/Hollywood_Park_Racetrack), Dave Erb was the substitute rider for the suspended [Bill Shoemaker](/source/Bill_Shoemaker) aboard  [Swaps](/source/Swaps_(horse)). Erb piloted the three-year-old colt to a world record time of 1:40 2/5 for a mile and a sixteenth on dirt.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1129825/index.htm|title=Registered & Protected by MarkMonitor|access-date=2008-11-09|archive-date=2013-01-02|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102080630/http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1129825/index.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> That same year, Dave Erb became the regular jockey for future [U.S. Racing Hall of Fame](/source/National_Museum_of_Racing_and_Hall_of_Fame) inductee, [Swoon's Son](/source/Swoon's_Son). Ridden by Erb in all but one of his twenty-two career stakes race wins, they competed primarily at tracks in [Chicago](/source/Chicago) and [Kentucky](/source/Kentucky).<ref>[http://www.horse-race-track.com/news/11/2007-horse-racing-hall-fame-inductees ''Horse-Race-Track.com'' 2007 Horse Racing Hall of Fame Inductees] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208012822/http://www.horse-race-track.com/news/11/2007-horse-racing-hall-fame-inductees|date=December 8, 2012}}</ref>

In 1956 Erb won the most important races of his career aboard the future Hall of Fame colt, [Needles](/source/Needles_(horse)). After winning the [Flamingo Stakes](/source/Flamingo_Stakes) and the [Florida Derby](/source/Florida_Derby), Erb and Needles narrowly missed winning the [American Triple Crown](/source/United_States_Triple_Crown_of_Thoroughbred_Racing). They won the [Kentucky Derby](/source/Kentucky_Derby), finished second to [Fabius](/source/Fabius_(horse)) in the [Preakness Stakes](/source/Preakness_Stakes), then won the [Belmont Stakes](/source/Belmont_Stakes).<ref name=DE1>[http://kentuckyderbytours.com/htmls/DerbyDays.html "The Saratogian.com" Greenfield Man looks back on his Derby Days] {{webarchive |url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110310005325/http://kentuckyderbytours.com/htmls/DerbyDays.html
|date=March 10, 2011}}</ref>

After retiring as a jockey in 1960, Dave Erb trained horses. In 1963, he enjoyed great success with the colt [Hurry to Market](/source/Hurry_to_Market) who was voted [American Co-Champion Two-Year-Old Colt](/source/American_Champion_Two-Year-Old_Colt).<ref>[http://www.bloodhorse.com/eclipsewinners/pdf/History_Charts.pdf ''The Bloodhorse.com'' Champion's history charts] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120904120526/http://www.bloodhorse.com/eclipsewinners/pdf/History_Charts.pdf |date=September 4, 2012}}</ref>

David Erb retired from the industry in 1988. He and wife, Lenni, settled on a small farm near [Greenfield Center](/source/Greenfield_Center%2C_New_York), [New York](/source/New_York_(state)). In 2008, Dave Erb became the 29th jockey to add his handprint and signature in cement to the "''Gallup to Glory''" display at the Galt House hotel in [Louisville, Kentucky](/source/Louisville%2C_Kentucky).<ref name=DE1/> 

Erb was a contestat on the TV game show ''[To Tell the Truth](/source/To_Tell_the_Truth)'' on February 26, 1957.{{citation needed|date=October 2021}}

In September 2019, Erb, then aged 95 and suffering from dementia went missing and an alert was sent out to the general public. He was later found safe.<ref>[https://cbs6albany.com/news/missing-persons/missing-david-erb-95 FOUND: David Erb, 95]</ref> However, he died two months later, a week shy of this 96th birthday.<ref>[https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/237663/kentucky-derby-winning-jockey-erb-dies-at-95 Kentucky Derby-Winning Jockey Erb Dies at 95]</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Erb, David}}
Category:1923 births
Category:2019 deaths
Category:American racehorse trainers
Category:American jockeys
Category:Sportspeople from Grand Island, Nebraska

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [David Erb](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Erb) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Erb?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.