Ride of Their Lives: The Triumphs and Turmoil of Racing's Top Jockeys

Jockeys perform the most perilous job in sports yet are among the most underrated athletes in the world. They put their lives on the line every time they get on a horse, often riding seven or eight horses a day, five days a week. Most must diet to keep their weight at levels lower than the average twelve-year-old boy, yet they need immense strength to control thousand-pound Thoroughbreds.

A select group of riders has risen to the top of their sport, sought after by racing's leading owners an...