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Most potential Hall of Fame jockeys are destined for greatness early on there careers, not Calvin Borel. The 43-year-old rider has made it to the pinnacle of his professional through hard-work, perseverance and the ability to stay humble despite a period of unparalleled success over the last four years.

Borel won his first riding title at Delta Downs in 1985, but it was not until 2006 that the racing world began to regard him as anything more than just another journeyman rider.

In June of 2006, Borel the won biggest race of the Churchill Autumn meeting, the $750,000 Stephen Foster Handicap, aboard 91-1 shot Seek Gold.

Later that year, trainer Carl Nafzger picked him to ride his colt Street Sense in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile, the pair were victorious and Borel now had his first Breeders' Cup victory.

Six months later, Street Sense and Borel were victorious in the 2007 Kentucky Derby, later that summer, they would also win the premiere race at the prestigious Saratoga meeting, scoring in the Travers Stakes.

While even casual racing fans now knew the name Calvin Borel, he would join the short list of riders to win both the Kentucky Oaks and Derby in the same year, winning with super filly Rachel Alexandra and Mine That Bird at 50-1, the second longest price horse to ever win the Run for the Roses.

Two weeks later, Borel became the first jockey to get off the Kentucky Derby winner for the Preakness, which proved to be the right call, as he narrowly defeated Mine That Bird aboard Rachel Alexandra.

Rachel and Calvin would go on have one of the best seasons together ever for a horse and rider, wining the Mother Goose Stakes by 19 1/4 lengths before also capturing the Haskell Invitational and Woodward Stakes over male horses. Rachel Alexandra was eventually crowned Horse of the Year for 2010.

At this point in his career, turf writers were beginning to debate Borel's credentials for the Hall of Fame, with most agreeing his more than 4,500 wins and success aboard Street Sense, Rachel Alexanda and Mine That Bird were just about enough to be listed among the greatest riders of all-time.

He basically wrapped up induction into the Hall of Fame this year with a Derby victory aboard Super Saver, becoming the only jockey to win the Kentucky Derby in three of four years.

Born in Cajun Country of Southern Louisiana, Calvin Borel learned his trade riding on the unlicensed bush tracks that have been the starting ground for many top riders, like Kent Desormeaux and Randy Romero.

Borel is gracious in victory and always thanks his brother Cecil, who is now a trainer in Kentucky and still his closest friend and advisor.

Longshots often prevail in racing, and Calvin Borel is living proof. While there were many skeptics about his ability, here is a feel good story and a modern day Seabiscuit. While Calvin has admitted he has trouble reading at times, the man is a genius on horseback and he has all but assured himself a place in the Racing Hall of Fame when his career is over.