Alfred M. Robertson

Horseracing personalities infobox
name = Alfred Robertson


caption =
occupation = Jockey
birthplace = Aberdeen, Scotland
birth date = October 20, 1911
death date = September 4, 1975
career wins = 1,856
race = Travers Stakes (1929, 1941)
Black-Eyed Susan Stakes (1930, 1931)
Arlington Classic (1931)
Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (1931)
Suburban Handicap (1931)
Demoiselle Stakes (1932)
Remsen Stakes (1933, 1940)
San Carlos Handicap (1935)
San Gabriel Handicap (1935)
San Felipe Stakes (1936)
Hopeful Stakes (1937)
Arkansas Derby (1938)
Jerome Handicap (1938)
Matron Stakes (1938)
Spinaway Stakes (1938)
American Derby (1941)
Peter Pan Stakes (1941)
Saranac Stakes (1941)
Saratoga Special Stakes (1941)
Diana Handicap (1942)
awards =
honours = United States Racing Hall of Fame (1971)
horses = Top Flight, Case Ace, Whirlaway, Mate, Menow
updated = August 5, 2008

Alfred Masson Robertson (October 20, 1911 - September 4, 1975) was a Hall of Fame jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.

Robertson was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, the son of Georgina Watson and her husband Ross Robertson. The Robertson family emigrated to the United States when Alfred was young. His father became a Thoroughbred racehorse owner/trainer and Alfred began his professional career in 1927 riding for his father. Alfred's mother's family emigrated to Toronto, Canada and her brother, Alexander Watson, was also involved in Thoroughbred racing. Alexander's son, Bobby Watson, was a Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame jockey who "absolutely dominated horse racing in Ontario in the 1940s." [http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/jockeys/1998/Bobby_Watson.html]

Alfred Robertson rode for several top American stables including those of the Whitney family, Ethel V. Mars, Isabel Dodge Sloane and for Calumet Farm he rode U.S. Triple Crown champion Whirlaway to victories in the American Derby, Lawrence Realization Stakes, and the Travers Stakes. Twice during his career he rode six winners in a single day. The first happened in 1928 at Oriental Park Racetrack in Marianao, Havana, Cuba, then in 1941 in the United States at Jamaica Racetrack in Jamaica, New York. Remarkably, his six wins at the Jamaica Racetrack were all aboard long shots.

The winner of a number of important races at tracks across the United States, Robertson had seven mounts in the Kentucky Derby with his best finish a third in 1937. He competed twice in the Preakness Stakes, finishing third on Snowflake in 1930 and second in 1932 on Tick On. He rode the colt Robert Morris to a win in the Peter Pan Stakes and ran second in the 1941 Belmont Stakes.

Robertson was one of the founding members of the Jockeys' Guild on its formation in 1940. In 1942 he was named best rider by the New York Turf Writers' Association. He retired from competitive riding the following year and in 1971 his career was honored with induction in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

Alfred Robertson died in 1975 at age sixty-three in Hialeah, Florida. His grandson, Mark Robertson, is a graduate of the Juilliard School and a noted musician, producer and concertmaster. [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1318089/]

References

* [http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/jockey.asp?ID=216 Alfred Robertson at the United States' National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame]
* [http://www.kentuckyderby.com/2002/derby_history/derby_charts/jockeys/482.html Kentucky Derby statistics for Alfred Robertson]
* [http://www.jockeysguild.com/history.html Official history of the Jockey's Guild]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/sports/year_in_sports/06.07.html June 7, 1941 "New York Times" article on the 1941 Belmont Stakes]
* [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,851327,00.html?promoid=googlep October 20, 1941 "TIME" magazine article on Alfred Robertson's seven wins on a single racecard titled "Twice in a Lifetime"]