George Edward Arcaro was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He would later become one of the top money winning jockeys in thoroughbred racing history.
After a short period as an exercise boy, Eddie became a jockey in 1931, and won his first race in 1932. In 1935 he had his first ride in the Kentucky Derby, aboard Nellie's Flag. He finished fourth.
Eddie's next attempt at the Derby came in 1938, when , aboard Lawrin at 8-1, he held off the charge of Dauber and won by a length. He didn't ride in the Derby again until 1941, when he came back a winner on Whirlaway, who went on to win the Triple Crown.
The following year, several months after riding Shut Out to victory in the Belmont Stakes, Eddie was suspended for trying to knock rider Vincent Nodarse off his mount during a race. In his appearance before the chief steward Marshall Cassidy, Arcaro answered "I was trying to kill the S.O.B." Some time later, Helen Whitney, who was very ill at the time, wrote to William Woodward, stating she would like to see Eddie ride again. The plea did not fall on deaf ears and the suspension was lifted.
Arcaro's next Derby win came aboard Hoop Jr. in 1945. Three years later he guided Citation to a Triple Crown win and Horse of the Year honors. Eddie called Citation "The greatest horse of all time." Eddie won his last Derby in 1952, aboard Hail Gail.
Eddie won the 1955 Preakness and Belmont on Nashua after guiding her to a runner-up in the Derby. He was also a regular rider of Kelso, who, five times, won the Horse of the Year award.
Arcaro had a distinctive riding style, sitting nearly motionless on his mounts, and made famous the practice of switching the whip from one side to the other in the home stretch.
Eddie announced his retirement from racing in the spring of 1962, at the age of 46. He had won 4,779 races, a record 549 stakes, and a record $30,049,313.
Eddie Arcaro died of liver cancer in his home near Miami on November, 14, 1997. He was 81.