Hi, molemos, and welcome aBoard. Be sure to tell your friend he's famous!

I had to look this guy up. No wonder I hadn't heard of him: he was a damyankee. Apparently did most or all of his riding up north, as well as being born there. Can't minimize his success, though--geez.

Garrison, "Snapper" (Edward H.)
Horse racing
b. Feb. 9, 1868, New Haven, CT
d. Oct. 28, 1930
Other Resources

Garrison, who became a professional jockey when he was only 12 years old, pioneered the "Garrison finish," holding a horse back for most of the race and then coming on with a driving sprint in the stretch.

During his 17-year riding career, he won nearly 7,000 races and had total winnings of more than $2 million. He Rode Foxford to victory in the 1891 Belmont Stakes, took the Suburban Handicap at Belmont in 1889 and 1892, and won the Withers Stakes in 1890 and 1892.

After retiring as a rider, Garrison worked as a trainer and racing official.

National Horse Racing Hall of Fame

web page

Hmm--glad I went on to try finding a picture (with success). This article says Unfortunately, no accurate count of Garrison's race record exists, but Garrison once estimated he had over 700 winners in 16 years of riding. This seems much more likely to me. Seven thousand races is a lot to ride over 16-17 years, let alone win nearly all of them.

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame