Grand National first jump, suddenly veered across the leading group at the 23rd, causing them to either stop, refuse or unseat their riders. Racing journalist Lord Oaksey described the resulting pile-up by saying that Popham Down had "cut down the leaders like a row of thistles". Some horses even started running in the wrong direction, back the way they had come. Foinavon, whose owner had such little faith in him that he had travelled to Worcester that day instead, had been lagging some 100 yards behind the leading pack, giving his jockey, John Buckingham, time to steer his mount wide of the
Steve Brooks (jockey) went on to become the 1949 Champion Jockey by total earnings and runnerup in total wins. Steve Brooks set a world record for the mile aboard the U.S. Triple Crown Champion Citation in winning the 1950 Golden Gate Mile at Golden Gate Fields. He also rode Citation to victory in the 1951 Hollywood Gold Cup, a win that made Citation the first horse in history to earn more than $1 million. In the 1959 Citation Handicap, an exhibition race at Washington Park Racetrack to honor the great horse, Brooks rode Round Table to victory. In 1952, he rode Charles T.