Ira Hanford

Ira G. "Babe" Hanford was an American jockey. He rode the winning horse in the 1936 Kentucky Derby.

Biography

He was born in Fairbury, Nebraska, and was Jewish. Hanford became involved in racing after being given his first mount in 1935 by Mary Hirsch.
He rode the winning horse Bold [Venture (horse)|Bold Venture] in the 1936 Kentucky Derby. The colt he rode while still an Glossary of [North American horse racing#apprentice|apprentice] was owned and bred by Morton L. Schwartz and trained by National [Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame|Hall of Fame] inductee, Max Hirsch.
His career was interrupted by four years of service with the United States Army during World War II.
Ira Hanford died of cancer on November 21, 2009, in Ocala, Florida at age 91. He was the brother of Kelso's Hall of Fame trainer, Carl Hanford.