On opening day of the 1954 Del Mar meet, a young rider named Bill Shoemaker was less than a month from turning 23 years old. Though still in the early chapter of what would become a storied career, the native Texan found himself the engineer of the most dominant run by any jockey that had ever competed at the seaside track.

During the previous five summers, no one in the colony could top Shoemaker in the Del Mar standings. That, in itself, was unprecedented, but the rising star had actually taken charge of the Del Mar record book at the start of that period:

• 1949: Became the first apprentice jockey to top the standings with a then-single season record of 52 wins.
• 1950: Set a new standard with 60 victories while sharing the title with John Longden.
• 1951: Finished in first place for the third consecutive year, which broke a tie with Ralph Neves for the most jockey titles in Del Mar history.
• 1952: Earned fourth straight title with 56 winners.
• 1953: Established a new record by collecting 74 wins en route to his fifth consecutive riding crown.

Based on those last few years, nobody was going to be surprised if Shoemaker extended his string of dominance. That is exactly what would happen, but not before the legendary reinsman authored a campaign that transcended anything he had previously achieved at Del Mar.

Del Mar’s 1954 season commenced July 27. The Opening Day program was a productive one for Shoemaker, who scored a trio of wins to lead all riders. Although it was certainly not the first time a Del Mar crowd had seen Shoemaker secure a riding triple, it can be said that the occasion had given everyone a foreshadowing of what was to come.

After the July 31 program, Shoemaker led the colony with 12 victories. His closest pursuers at that time were Roy Lumm and Ralph Neves, who shared second place with six wins each. Given that it was still very early in the meet, the gap Shoemaker had over Lumm and Neves could not be considered especially large. But, as time would soon confirm, the race for the riding title was already decided.

Following that card, Shoemaker assault on the record books was relentless. By the time the Aug. 7 action concluded, he had added 15 more wins for 27 overall. Moreover, Shoemaker was now 16 victories clear of Lumm, who held second place outright.

That dominance did not diminish; the lead would only grow:

After Aug. 16, Shoemaker led George Taniguchi by a tally of 42-20.

After Aug. 21, Shoemaker had 55 wins to Taniguchi’s 23.

After Aug. 28, Shoemaker stood at 70 victories while Taniguchi had 32.

On Sept. 1, Shoemaker reached 76, topping the previous record of 74 he had set just one year earlier.

Then came Saturday, Sept. 4. Shoemaker had his biggest day of the meet, putting together a then-record six wins on the program. The next day produced an additional five trips to the winner’s circle, which brought Shoemaker’s total to 91. He was set to take time off after that, but ultimately returned to ride on closing day, Sept. 11. When all was said and done, Shoemaker finished the meet as he had started it … with another triple.

The final tally was 94 wins. In a distant second place was Lumm, who finished with 37.

Shoemaker not only broke his own record, he shattered it. Seventy years later, the record still belongs to him. The only jockey to come close to it was Laffit Pincay Jr., who secured 86 wins in 1976 — Pincay did serve a five-day suspension during the meet, which inevitably makes one wonder what might have been.

Over the course of that 41-day Del Mar 1954 meet, Shoemaker was simply in another league. He rode 36 of the 41 programs the track hosted, and won at least one race in 35 of them. The statistics speak for themselves:

• 3-win days: 13 (including on his birthday, Aug. 19)
• 4-win days: 5
• 5-win days: 1
• 6-win days: 1

Of the five days Shoemaker missed, four of them were due to vacation. The only other absence was on Aug. 21 when Shoemaker traveled to Chicago’s Washington Park to ride in the American Derby, in which he finished second aboard High Gun.

Shoemaker was also highly instrumental in the creation of another record that actually did not belong to him. At the end of the meet, R.H. McDaniel found himself as the leading trainer with 47 victories, and 42 of those came with Shoemaker in the saddle. And as of the summer of 2024, no trainer has come close to approaching McDaniel.

For many racing fans, Bill Shoemaker is considered the best jockey who ever lived. His incredible 1954 season and the fact that his record remains intact serve as a reminder of his skill, his dominance, and his greatness.

Shoemaker won the 1958 Del Mar Futurity aboard Tomy Lee. (BloodHorse Library)