Earlie Fires

Biography

Earlie Stancel Fires was born on March 19, 1947, in Riverdale, Arkansas. He received his jockey license in 1964 and won his first race the following March at Oaklawn Park. By the end of 1965, Fires had 224 victories, topping all apprentice riders.

Fires won numerous riding titles at Arlington Park, Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Gulfstream, Hawthorne, and Tropical-at-Calder. In 1983, he set a record at Arlington with seven wins on a single card. Fires retired as Arlington’s all-time leader in wins with 2,886. Overall, Fires won 6,470 races and had purse earnings of $86,399,629.

Early in his career, Fires’ most significant mounts included In Reality and War Censor. With In Reality, Fires won six races, including the Florida Derby and Jersey Derby. With War Censor, Fires won numerous stakes, including the Dixie Handicap and the Hialeah Turf Cup.

Other notable victories for Fires include the Arlington Matron Stakes (five times), a second Florida Derby, the Breeders’ Futurity Stakes, Santa Barbara Handicap, Arlington Handicap (twice), Spinster Stakes, Lincoln Heritage Handicap (seven times), Isaac Murphy Handicap (three times), Alabama Stakes, Ashland Stakes, Gazelle Stakes, American Derby, Phoenix Stakes, Donn Handicap, Ohio Derby, E.P. Taylor Stakes, Arlington-Washington Futurity, and Hanshin Cup (three times), among others.

Fires was presented the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1991. When he retired, Fires ranked ninth among North American jockeys in wins. He won riding titles in four different decades, a testament to his durability and consistency.

Achievements

All-time leading rider at Arlington Park with 2,886 wins

Other Highlights

Won the Arlington Matron Stakes — 1966, 1967, 1980, 1982, 1992
Won the Isaac Murphy Handicap — 1981, 1992, 2008
Won the Stars and Stripes Handicap — 1986, 1992, 2006
Won the Florida Derby — 1967, 1989
Won the Arlington Handicap — 1978, 1990
Won the Arlington Oaks — 1981, 1982