(1915-06-21)June 21, 1915 New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Died
September 1, 1964(1964-09-01) (aged 49) San Diego, California
Resting place
Live Oak Memorial Park, Monrovia, California
Career wins
1,549
Major racing wins
Texas Derby (1934, 1935) Cumberland Handicap (1935) Latonia Inaugural Handicap (1935) Mardi Gras Stakes (1935) American Derby (1937) Acorn Stakes (1937) Bay Shore Handicap (1937) Coaching Club American Oaks (1937) Edgemere Handicap (1937) Junior Champion Stakes (1937) Jerome Handicap (1937) Saratoga Cup (1937) Santa Catalina Cal-Bred Championship Stakes (1938) Santa Margarita Handicap (1938) Premiere Handicap (1939) Haggin Stakes (1940, 1941) Inglewood Handicap (1940) San Pasqual Handicap (1940) Del Mar Handicap (1941) Santa Barbara Handicap (1941) Arlington Futurity (1942) Washington Park Futurity Stakes (1942) Hollywood Lassie Stakes (1946) San Mateo Handicap (1946) Starlet Stakes (1946) Hollywood Oaks (1947) Bing Crosby Handicap (1947) La Jolla Handicap (1947)
U.S. Triple Crown top placings: Kentucky Derby 2nd (1935) Preakness Stakes 2nd (1940)
Racing awards
Churchill Downs Champion Jockey (1934 (Spring))
Significant horses
Dawn Play, Mioland, Roman Soldier, Can't Wait, Count Arthur, Occupation
Lester Anthony Balaski (June 21, 1915 – September 1, 1964) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey, a soldier who served his country during World War II, and a founding director and a First Vice-President of the Jockeys' Guild who died as a result of injuries suffered in an August 22, 1964, racing accident at Agua Caliente Racetrack in Mexico.[1][2] A resident of Chula Vista, California, he had been transported from the racetrack to Mercy Hospital in San Diego, California where he died ten days later.[3]
^"History".
^Boston Globe, from Boston, Massachusetts, September 2, 1964 page 37 article titled "Jockey Balaski Dies of Injuries Retrieved September 7, 2018
^Bridgeport Post, from Bridgeport, Connecticut, September 2, 1964 page 46 obituary Retrieved September 7, 2018
Lester Anthony Balaski (June 21, 1915 – September 1, 1964) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey, a soldier who served his country during World...
Belinda Balaski (born December 8, 1947, in Inglewood, California) is an American actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Terri Fisher in Joe...
Arnull Sam Arnull Cash Asmussen Andrea Atzeni Mary Bacon Jerry Bailey LesterBalaski Ron Barry Donna Barton Brothers Michael Baze Russell Baze Tyler Baze...
Jose Bravo William Molter E. O. Stice & Sons 1:10.20 1947 Be Fearless LesterBalaski R. Lyall Cuadra Coahuila 1:10.80 1946 War Allies * Ralph Neves Hack...
Peterson Earl H. Sorrell W. David Rorex 1:43.20 1941 Royal Crusader 4 LesterBalaski Paul Meredith R. C. Stable 1:43.60 1940 Big Flash 3 Eugene Rodriguez...
Merrie Lynn Ross as Pearl Baker Gerrit Graham as Ray "Magic Ray" Belinda Balaski as Essie Beaumont Peggy Stewart as Hattie Baker Gene Drew as Sheriff Hicks...
Maurice Peters Richard E. Handlen Foxcatcher Farms 3rd 7 Can't Wait LesterBalaski J. Thomas Taylor Myron Selznick 4th 10 Menow Raymond Workman Duval A...
L. Fontaine Brookmeade Stable 1 m 1:39.80 $10,325 1937 Dawn Play 3 LesterBalaski Max Hirsch King Ranch 1 m 1:38.80 $10,100 1936 Blue Sheen 3 James Stout...
Alfred Robertson Walter Burrows Townsend B. Martin 1:36.40 1937 Pasha LesterBalaski J. Thomas Taylor Myron Selznick 1:38.20 1936 Goldeneye Ira Hanford A...
Richards Preston M. Burch Sarah F. Jeffords 2:20.80 1937 Dawn Play 3 LesterBalaski Max Hirsch King Ranch 2:18.60 1936 High Fleet 3 John Gilbert Bert Mulholland...
2 Leon Haas Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 0:33.80 1941 Black Raider 2 LesterBalaski Roy Waldron Milky Way Farm Stable 0:33.60 1940 no race 1939 no race...
Harry Curland 1 mile 1:37.80 $10,950 ‡3YO fillies 1947 Handlebars 3 LesterBalaski Charles Irby Mrs. R. F. Black 1 mile 1:38.40 $8,150 ♯3YO Cal Bred 1946...
Bradley 3rd 7 Dit Leon Haas Max Hirsch W. Arnold Hanger 4th 3 Mioland LesterBalaski R. Thomas Smith Charles S. Howard 5th 6 Sirocco Johnny Longden James...
Matthew Peter Brady William Ziegler Jr. 6.5 f 1:18.00 1937 Can't Wait 2 LesterBalaski J. Thomas Taylor Myron Selznick 6.5 f 1:18.00 1936 Pompoon 2 Harry Richards...
correct. Dawn Play's 1937 campaign saw trainer Max Hirsch hire jockey LesterBalaski to ride the filly and his handling of her three big wins that year was...
Charles S. Howard 1 ¼ miles 2:05.00 No race 1938–1939 1937 Dawn Play LesterBalaski Max Hirsch King Ranch 1 ¼ miles 2:05.00 No race 1936 1935 Black Helen...
Feustel Elizabeth Graham Lewis 13⁄16 M 1:57.80 1937 Count Arthur 5 LesterBalaski Lon Johnson Fannie Hertz 13⁄16 M 1:58.00 1936 Esposa 4 Nick Wall Matthew...
Sam Renick Duval A. Headley Hal Price Headley 1:47.20 1938 Primulus 5 LesterBalaski Thomas Griffin Frank Smith 1:49.00 1937 Stand Pat 6 Willie Saunders...
James Edward L. Snyder William F. Morgan 6.5 F 1:17.60 1937 He Did 4 LesterBalaski J. Thomas Taylor W. Arnold Hanger 6.5 F 1:18.00 1936 Emileo 3 Ira Hanford...
Allen B. Drumheller Fannie Hertz 5.5 f 1:05.20 $20,200 1946 U Time 2 LesterBalaski Mesh Tenney Rex Ellsworth 6 f 1:10.20 $19,650 1945 Widow's Peak 2 Johnny...
Gordon Coldstream Stud Stable (E. E. Dale Shaffer) 5th 7 Bien Joli LesterBalaski Herbert J. Thompson Edward R. Bradley 6th 16 Holl Image Herb Fisher...
Occupy Lyle Whiting Burley Parke John Marsch 1:13.40 1942 Occupation LesterBalaski Burley Parke John Marsch 1:12.00 1941 Alsab Robert Vedder Sarge Swenke...
Mioland 4 Leon Haas Tom Smith Charles S. Howard 1:51.60 1940 Don Mike 6 LesterBalaski Lindsay C. Howard Binglin Farm 1:50.00 1939 Gosum 5 Alan Gray Graceton...
Saunders James E. Fitzsimmons Belair Stud 2:05.00 2nd 3 Roman Soldier LesterBalaski Phil Reuter William Sachsenmaier & Phil Reuter 3rd 9 Whiskolo Wayne...
trainer Tom Smith. In the 1940 U.S. Triple Crown series, under jockey LesterBalaski, Mioland ran fourth to winner Gallahadion in the Kentucky Derby, then...
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