Eldon Nelson

Glen Eldon Nelson (January 28, 1927 - March 16, 2012) was an American jockey in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing who competed primarily at tracks on the East Coast of the United States and who is best known for winning the 1972 Preakness Stakes.[1][2]

Eldon Nelson
OccupationJockey
Born(1927-01-28)January 28, 1927
Glenrose Township,
Noble County, Oklahoma
DiedMarch 16, 2012(2012-03-16) (aged 85)
Sedan, Kansas
Major racing wins
Arlington Handicap (1954)
Laurel Turf Cup Handicap (1954)
Alabama Stakes (1957)
American Legion Handicap (1957)
Grand Union Hotel Stakes (1957)
Brooklyn Handicap (1957)
Delaware Handicap (1958)
Ladies Handicap (1958, 1959)
Vagrancy Handicap (1958)
Bed O' Roses Handicap (1959)
Beldame Stakes (1959)
Diana Handicap (1959, 1960)
Nassau County Handicap (1959)
Roamer Handicap (1959)
Maskette Stakes (1960, 1973)
New York Breeders' Cup Handicap (1960)
Vosburgh Stakes (1960)
Dwyer Stakes (1962)
Manhattan Handicap (1963)
Gallant Fox Handicap (1964)
Maryland Futurity (1964)
Massachusetts Handicap (1964, 1965)
Valley Forge Handicap (1964)
Cowdin Stakes (1965)
Jerome Handicap (1965)
Whimsical Stakes (1969)
Molly Pitcher Handicap (1970, 1973)
Toboggan Handicap (1972)
Hempstead Handicap (1973)

American Classic Race wins:
Preakness Stakes (1972)

Honours
Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame (2009)
Significant horses
Coaltown, Silver Spoon, Tempted
Bold Bidder, Bee Bee Bee

In 1948, Eldon Nelson married Betty Rose Coffman (1930–2005) with whom he had two children.

During a career that spanned four decades, Nelson rode for some of the leading stables in the country including Henry and Jane Lunger's Christiana Stables, Isabel Dodge Sloane's Brookmeade Stable, as well as the renowned Calumet Farm. On February 28, 1949 at Hialeah Park Race Track in Hialeah, Florida he rode Calumet's future U.S. Racing Hall of Fame colt Coaltown to a win that equalled the world record of 1:47 3/5 for a mile-and-an-eighth on dirt.[3]

American Classic Races

Eldon Nelson had two mounts in the Belmont Stakes with his best result in 1957 when he rode Inside Tract to a second-place finish behind Gallant Man. On May 29, 1972, the forty-four-year-old Nelson earned the most important win of his career. In his fourth mount in the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown series, on a sloppy Pimlico Race Course he rode the William S. Farish III colt Bee Bee Bee to victory.[4]

Eldon Nelson retired in 1973. He and his wife returned to live on their farm near Cedar Vale, Kansas.

In 2009, Nelson was inducted into the Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame.[5]

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References
  1. May 29, 1972 Sports Illustrated article on Eldon Nelson's win in the 1972 Preakness Stakes titled Give An A-plus To Bee Bee Bee
  2. Obituary
  3. TIME magazine
  4. Preakness Stakes jockeys at the official Preakness website
  5. "John Sellers". The Oklahoma Horse Racing Hall of Fame at Remington Park. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
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