Saluting all-time greatest jockey.

• Position: Sportscene - Earl Sande

In the 1920s and 1930s, famous jockeys were sports figures that would rival the notoriety of today's stars like basketball's Shaquille O'Neill, baseball's Roger Clemens, or football's Brett Favre. Over the years, there literally have been tens of thousands of jockeys racing on America's turf, but only 10 have managed to capture the Triple Crown, racing's ultimate prize. One of the most celebrated is Earl Sande, who won the second Triple Crown in 1930 on Gallant Fox. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Sande's triumph as well as his third Kentucky Derby and fifth Belmont Stakes victories.

"Few jockeys were as good as Sande and certainly nobody was better," marvels national turf historian Tom Gilcoyne. After rising from the ranks of the leaky-roof circuit, Sande ranked as the top-money jockey in 1921, 1923, and 1927. His winnings in 1923 set a record that stood for 20 years. His feat that year is even more impressive when considering that he did not race during the winter months, and thus rode in hundreds of fewer races than his competitors.

"In a time when America is short on heroes, Earl Sande stands for hard work, the pursuit of excellence, and pure integrity," says Richard J. Maturi, author of Triple Crown Winner. The Earl Sande Saga. "He was one of the country's biggest heroes during the Golden Age of Sports."

Interestingly, "Sande was the least likely person to become a famous jockey. He was se tall the other jockeys called him Longback. His riding style also stood out from the field. While others routinely used the whip to get the most [out] of their mount, Sande used it sparingly and sung Italian opera...