The feeling of victory is unmatched for athletes, especially when they succeed in surpassing all their competitors. This sense of triumph is even more profound when it marks the first win of their sporting career. However, there is a unique name in sports history, Frank Hayes, who experienced the sweet taste of victory under tragic circumstances. Hayes competed in a race and emerged victorious, but he was unable to stand and celebrate due to his death during the competition.

On June 4, 1923, a young jockey named Frank Hayes, aged 22, competed in a steeplechase race at Belmont Park in New York. Hayes was an experienced horse trainer and skilled jockey, but he had never won a race before. No one expected him to take first place that day while riding a horse named “Sweet Kiss,” owned by a woman named Ms. Frailing.

The race proceeded as usual, but during one of its stages, Hayes suffered a heart attack and died immediately. Despite his death, Hayes did not fall from his horse; instead, he remained seated in the saddle, allowing the horse to continue along the track. Remarkably, “Sweet Kiss” crossed the finish line first, securing Hayes’ first-ever victory. When Ms. Frailing, the officials, and friends went to congratulate him, they discovered that he had passed away.

Reports indicate that Hayes died after taking the lead in the challenging two-mile race, but the exact cause of his death remains unknown. Some theories suggest that the excitement of the race was too much for his heart to handle, while others believe that drastic weight loss in preparation for the race may have placed excessive strain on his heart.

With the race concluded and Hayes’ body along with his horse reaching the finish line, the race officials had no choice but to declare him the winner. This remains the only recorded instance of a jockey winning a race posthumously. However, the activities related to his victory and celebration were, of course, canceled. Hayes was buried three days later, and his horse, which had shared in the victory, never raced again. The horse earned a new nickname within the racing community, “Sweet Kiss of Death.”

The incident was a tragic event that stirred public sympathy in the United States. The Washington Post reported, “Hayes’ ambition in life was to win a race. He had tried once in Canada and failed. In his second attempt, he won, but the pressure on his heart was too intense, and he died after crossing the finish line while riding a horse he had trained.”