The Incredible Tale of the Jockey Who Won a Race While Dead**
June 4, 1923—a day marked by one of the most bizarre and eerie moments in horse racing history. Jockey Frank Hayes, mounted on his horse Sweet Kiss, crossed the finish line as the unlikely winner of a steeplechase at Belmont Park. But what made this victory extraordinary wasn't the race itself—it was that Hayes had died mid-race, likely due to a heart attack, yet somehow stayed upright in the saddle until the very end.
Hayes had been trying to rapidly shed weight to meet the jockey requirements, a stressful task that may have contributed to his untimely death. Officials only discovered that he had passed away after the race concluded, leaving the crowd stunned.
Frank Hayes remains the *only* jockey to win a race posthumously. The horse, Sweet Kiss, earned the ominous nickname "The Sweet Kiss of Death" and never raced again. Some said no jockey dared to ride the horse after that chilling day.
It’s a tale that captures both the dedication and the risks of this high-stakes sport, and one that continues to fascinate racing enthusiasts and curious minds alike.
