Henry Wajda

File:Henry Wajda historical marker.jpg

Wajda was born in 1934 in Newmarket, New Hampshire.{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/annualreportnewm00newm_18/page/74/mode/2up |magazine=Reports of the Town Officers of Newmarket, N.H. |title=Births Registered in the Town of Newmarket, N.H. for the Year Ending Dec. 31, 1934 |page=75 |date=January 31, 1935 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=Internet Archive}} Prior to his career as a jockey, he worked in a shoe factory in his hometown.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-rock-friends-salute-waj/145451043/ |title=Rock friends salute Wajda |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=30 |date=July 31, 1973 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} By 1954, he was riding Thoroughbreds as an apprentice at Laurel Park in Maryland.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-baltimore-sun-ricoto-bows-by-12-len/145446159/ |title=Ricoto Bows by 1/2 Length to Longshot |first=William |last=Boniface |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |page=23 |date=October 22, 1954 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} By 1957, he was riding at Rockingham Park in New Hampshire and had picked up the nickname "Hammerin' Hank".{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-wajda-takes-rock-featur/145447871/ |title=Wajda Takes Rock Feature On Park Dandy |first=Sam |last=McCracken |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=16 |date=September 12, 1957 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} In October 1957, while riding at Suffolk Downs in Massachusetts, Wajda twice won five races in a single day, each time winning four races consecutively.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-times-a-jockey-wins-five/145448371/ |title=A Jockey Wins Five |agency=AP |newspaper=Kansas City Times |page=19 |date=October 29, 1957 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}

On September 6, 1958, Wajda set a world record at Rockingham Park; riding Mark Antony, he covered 1 mile and 70 yards ({{convert|1830|yard|mi km|disp=output only}}) in 1:{{frac|39|1|5}},{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/Sports-Illustrated-1958-09-15/page/n11/mode/2up |magazine=Sports Illustrated |title=For the Record |page=10 |date=September 15, 1958 |accessdate=April 25, 2024 |via=Internet Archive}} besting the prior record by {{frac|1|5}} of a second.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lexington-herald-irish-bred-mark-ant/145437578/ |title=Irish-Bred Mark Antony Sets News World Record |agency=AP |newspaper=Lexington Herald-Leader |location=Lexington, Kentucky |page=20 |date=September 7, 1958 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}

On June 30, 1960, while riding Lusty Andy at Suffolk Downs, Wajda pulled fellow jockey Anthony DeSpirito back onto Color Bearer after DeSpirito had been knocked off his saddle in the first turn and was clinging to his mount by one hand and had a foot caught in a stirrup.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/monticello-daily-herald-journal-jockey-h/145438387/ |title=Jockey Henry Wajda Saves Life of Another Rider at Suffolk Downs |agency=UPI |newspaper=Monticello Daily Herald Journal |location=Monticello, Indiana |page=2 |date=July 1, 1960 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} DeSpirito credited Wajda with saving his life. For his bravery, Wajda received a commemorative watch from the president of Suffolk Downs,{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/sim_chronicle-of-the-horse_1960-07-15_23_46/page/10/mode/2up |magazine=The Chronicle of the Horse |volume=XXIII |issue=46 |date=July 15, 1960 |title=Jockey Wajda Saves DeSpirito |page=10 |accessdate=April 25, 2024 |via=Internet Archive}} and honors from the New England Turf Writers and New York Turf Writers organizations.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-item-wajda-earns-top-money-as/145452673/ |title=Wajda Earns Top Money As Jockey |agency=AP |newspaper=The Daily Item |location=Lynn, Massachusetts |page=13 |date=August 7, 1961 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-north-adams-transcript-henry-wajda-r/145453749/ |title=Henry Wajda Recalls Saving Rival Rider |agency=AP |newspaper=North Adams Transcript |location=North Adams, Massachusetts |page=20 |date=May 2, 1963 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}

In 1961, Wajda's annual income was estimated at $40,000 {{USDCY|40000|1961}}.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/nashua-telegraph-new-england-vignettes/145452806/ |title=New England Vignettes |first=James |last=Calogero |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=Nashua, New Hampshire |page=12 |date=August 26, 1961 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} That year, he missed five weeks of riding after suffering a shoulder injury in a race at Lincoln Downs in Rhode Island.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-wajda-takes-it-slow-on/145453109/ |title=Wajda Takes It Slow on Return |first=Sam |last=McCracken |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=46 |date=October 26, 1961 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} In June 1962, Wajda was thrown from horses twice in one day at Suffolk Downs—once in a race, and then again prior to the next race—but was not injured.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/nashua-telegraph-wajda-thrown/145453478/ |title=Wajda Thrown |agency=AP |newspaper=The Telegraph |location=Nashua, New Hampshire |page=9 |date=June 12, 1962 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} In 1963, he was reportedly the highest-paid professional athlete in New Hampshire.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/concord-monitor-untitled/145449880/ |title=(untitled) |newspaper=Concord Monitor |location=Concord, New Hampshire |page=10 |date=July 28, 1963 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} That season, he won 73 races in 42 days at Suffolk Downs.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-wajda-over-100-winners/145454115/ |title=Wajda Over 100 Winners, On Way to Best Season |first=Sam |last=McCracken |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=59 |date=June 30, 1963 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}

Wajda died in 1973, as the result of a racing accident at Rockingham Park. Riding Zabush on July 28, 1973, Wajda fell from his mount after his right stirrup broke at the start of a race; he was kicked by the horse, and suffered a punctured lung.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-salt-lake-tribune-jockey-thrown-kic/145450116/ |title=Jockey Thrown, Kicked, Hurt |agency=AP |newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune |page=D4 |date=July 29, 1973 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} He died the next day following surgery in Methuen, Massachusetts.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-stirrup-breaks-wajda-f/145439021/ |title=Stirrup breaks, Wajda fall at Rock fatal |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=25 |date=July 30, 1973 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}

During his career, Wajda won 2224 races, finished second 2131 times, and finished third 1930 times, capturing over $6 million in winnings.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-wajda-didnt-like-to-lo/145450796/ |title=Wajda didn't like to lose–even to Arcaro the master |first=Sam |last=McCracken |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=27 |date=July 31, 1973 |access-date=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} At the time of his death, Wajda was a resident of Hollywood, Florida, and Raymond, New Hampshire.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-portsmouth-herald-henry-f-wajda/145451429/ |title=Henry F. Wajda |newspaper=The Portsmouth Herald |location=Portsmouth, New Hampshire |page=3 |date=August 2, 1973 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} He had married Mary Lasofsky in June 1960 in Salisbury, Massachusetts.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-journal-wajda-to-wed/145454883/ |title=Wajda to Wed |agency=AP |newspaper=Sun Journal |location=Lewiston, Maine |page=8 |date=January 7, 1960 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/concord-monitor-miss-lasofsky-married-to/145454934/ |title=Miss Lasofsky Married to Wajda in Salisbury |newspaper=Concord Monitor |location=Concord, New Hampshire |page=5 |date=June 22, 1960 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}

A race in his honor, the Henry Wajda Memorial Handicap, was established in 1974 and was held annually at Rockingham Park through at least 1997.{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lowell-sun-wajda-memorial/145452017/ |title=Wajda Memorial |agency=UPI |newspaper=The Sun |location=Lowell, Massachusetts |page=30 |date=July 18, 1974 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-rick-fights-to-win/145451932/ |title='Rick' fights to win |newspaper=The Boston Globe |page=C12 |date=July 14, 1997 |accessdate=April 15, 2024 |via=newspapers.com}} In 2011, Wajda was inducted to the New England Racing Hall of Fame.{{cite news |url=https://www.drf.com/news/new-england-racing-hall-fame-names-five-new-members |title=New England Racing Hall of Fame names five new members |first=Rowland |last=Hoyt |website=Daily Racing Form |date=May 26, 2011 |accessdate=April 20, 2024}} In 2024, a New Hampshire historical marker (no. 290) honoring Wajda was erected near his burial site in his hometown.{{cite web |url=https://mm.nh.gov/files/uploads/dhr/documents/highway-markers-by-number.pdf |title=List of Markers by Marker Number |website=nh.gov |publisher=New Hampshire Division of Historical Resources |date=April 17, 2024 |accessdate=April 18, 2024}}

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• [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-drama-at-suffolk-downs/145766874/ Photo of Wajda saving DeSpirito] from The Boston Globe of July 1, 1960

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Category:1934 births

Category:1973 deaths

Category:American jockeys

Category:People from Newmarket, New Hampshire

Category:Accidental deaths in New Hampshire