On June 4, 1923, at Belmont Park in Long Island, an extraordinary and tragic event unfolded during a routine steeplechase race. Sweet Kiss, a 20-to-1 longshot mare ridden by an unknown 22-year-old jockey named Frank Hayes, stunned the crowd by winning the race. However, Hayes had suffered a fatal heart attack during the final stretch but somehow remained in the saddle until the finish line. Despite his death, officials declared Sweet Kiss the official winner since Hayes was still mounted.

This unprecedented incident marked the only time in horse racing history that a race was won by a dead jockey. Hayes was buried in his racing silks shortly after, while the mare earned the ominous nickname “The Sweet Kiss of Death.” Superstitious jockeys refused to ride her again, and she never raced after that day, leaving behind a unique and somber legacy in the sport.