# Willie Knapp

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American jockey

Willie Knapp Personal information Born August 21, 1888 Chicago, Illinois, United States Died October 26, 1972 (aged 84) New Hyde Park, New York, United States Occupation Jockey/Trainer Horse racing career Sport Horse racing Career wins 649 Major racing wins Jockey wins:Municipal Handicap (1905, 1906, 1907) Ocean Handicap (1905) Reapers Stakes (1905) Delaware Handicap (1905, 1918) Advance Stakes (1906) Astoria Stakes (1906, 1919) Brighton Derby (1907) Brighton Mile (1907) Flight Stakes (1907) Matron Stakes (1907) Santa Anita Handicap (Ascot Park) (1907) Seagate Stakes (1907) Spinaway Stakes (1907) Twin City Handicap (1907 Connaught Cup Stakes (1913) Brooklyn Handicap (1917) Empire City Handicap (1917) Great American Stakes (1917, 1919) Saratoga Special Stakes (1917) Keene Memorial Stakes (1918) Manhattan Handicap (1918) Travers Stakes (1918) Champlain Handicap (1919) Demoiselle Stakes (1919) Dwyer Stakes (1919) Empire City Derby (1919) Huron Handicap (1919) Lawrence Realization Stakes (1919) Sanford Memorial Stakes (1919) Saratoga Special Stakes (1919) American Classic Race wins: Kentucky Derby (1918) Trainer wins: Merchants and Citizens Handicap (1921, 1926) Saratoga Cup (1921) Florida Derby (1929) Arlington Lassie Stakes (1930) Havre de Grace Cup Handicap (1931) Queens County Handicap (1949, 1950) Monmouth Handicap (1949) Royal Palm Handicap (1949, 1950, 1951) Westchester Handicap (1949) All American Handicap (1950) Edgemere Handicap (1950) McLennan Handicap (1950) Honors United States' Racing Hall of Fame (1969) Significant horses Charles Edward, Exterminator, Purchase, Sun Briar, Three Rings, Upset Updated on May 11, 2011

**William J. Knapp** (August 21, 1888 – October 26, 1972) was an American [thoroughbred](/source/Thoroughbred) [horse racing](/source/Horse_racing) [Hall of Fame](/source/National_Museum_of_Racing_and_Hall_of_Fame) [jockey](/source/Jockey).[1] He was known for racing horses such as Exterminator and Sun Briar. He became the jockey for Exterminator in the [1918 Kentucky Derby](/source/1918_Kentucky_Derby). He was expecting to race Sun Briar, an extremely fast colt, but Sun Briar became ill and he had no choice but to race Exterminator, Sun Briar's training horse. However, Exterminator won the Derby and Knapp became his lifelong jockey.[2]

Knapp is also well remembered as the jockey aboard the aptly named [Upset](/source/Upset_(horse)) on August 13, 1919, when he handed the legendary [Man o' War](/source/Man_o'_War) his only defeat in the [Sanford Memorial Stakes](/source/Sanford_Stakes).[3]

Among his many success as a jockey, during a period of less than a month in 1907 Knapp guided [Charles Edward](/source/Charles_Edward_(horse)) to three [track records](/source/Glossary_of_North_American_horse_racing#track_record/course_record) including a [World record](/source/World_record). In a 1910 history of the feat, the *[Daily Racing Form](/source/Daily_Racing_Form)* wrote that Charles Edward "gave in the [Seagate](/source/Seagate_Stakes) one of the most amazing displays of high-class speed ever witnessed."[4]

On September 27, 1914, Knapp married Elizabeth Blute, the daughter of trainer [James Blute](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=James_Blute&action=edit&redlink=1) who was the 1907 [United States Co-Champion Thoroughbred Trainer by wins](/source/United_States_Champion_Thoroughbred_Trainer_by_wins) tying with [James G. Rowe Sr.](/source/James_G._Rowe_Sr.) and [Frank Hanlon](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Frank_Hanlon&action=edit&redlink=1).[5]

Willie Knapp died at age 84 on October 26, 1972, at the [Long Island Jewish Hospital](/source/Long_Island_Jewish_Medical_Center) in [New Hyde Park, New York](/source/New_Hyde_Park%2C_New_York).[6]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame](https://www.racingmuseum.org/hall-of-fame/william-j-knapp)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Willie Knapp, 84; Once Star Jockey"](https://www.nytimes.com/1972/10/27/archives/willie-knapp-84-once-star-jockey-rider-of-upset-only-horse-to-beat.html). New York Times, page 44. 1972-10-27. Retrieved 2020-03-21.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Saratoga's Upset of the Century"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/4655887572). America's Best Racing (TJC Media Ventures). 2016-07-27. Retrieved 2018-10-20.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Condensed History of the Seagate Stakes"](https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1910071301/drf1910071301_1_7). Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1910-07-13. Retrieved 2020-06-18.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Notes of the Turf"](https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1914100101/drf1914100101_2_7). Daily Racing Form at University of Kentucky Archives. 1914-10-01. Retrieved 2019-05-10.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Willie Knapp 84, Ex-Jockey Dies"](https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/465588757/). [New York Daily News](/source/New_York_Daily_News) page 53. 1972-10-27. Retrieved 2018-10-20.

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