Sandy Hawley

Sanford Desmond Hawley, jockey (b at Oshawa, Ont 16 Apr 1949). Riding professionally since 1968, Hawley has been one of North America's most successful jockeys. He has won 25% of the races he has entered, the highest winning percentage among North American jockeys; he was Canada's leading jockey in 1969 and won the North American title in 1970, 1972 and 1973. In 1973 he became the first rider to win over 500 races in a single year and, in 1980, won his 4000th career race, the youngest jockey to reach this plateau. Hawley has twice won the Lou Marsh Trophy, awarded annually to Canada's outstanding athlete. He has also been honoured in the US, winning the prestigious Eclipse Award for his racetrack performances. He rode winners in the Queen's Plate 4 times.

By 1986, the year he was inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame, he had ridden more than 5000 winners and in 1992 he became the eighth jockey to ride his 6000th winner. He formally retired on July 1, 1998 finishing with 6449. Hawley was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1976 and in 1992 received horse racing's highest honour, selection to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, NY.