John R. Velazquez

FIRST WINNER

• January 3, 1990, on Rodas at El Comandante, Puerto Rico
• First U.S. Winner: March 12, 1990, on My Brother Jay at Aqueduct

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Co-Chairman of the Jockeys’ Guild Board of Directors; also on the Board of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund
• Entered Puerto Rico’s jockey school in 1988
• Moved to New York in March 1990 under the guidance of jockey Angel Cordero Jr., who would later become his agent
• Father-in-law is former trainer Leo O’Brien

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

• Has won 24 Breeders' Cup races, his first coming in the 1998 Mile on Da Hoss and his latest on Straight No Chaser in the 2024 Sprint
• Has won three Travers Stakes, his latest on Fierceness in 2024
• Won his first Preakness Stakes on National Treasure in 2023
• Won his third Kentucky Derby on Authentic in 2020
• Inducted into racing’s Hall of Fame in 2012 
• Won his 14th Breeders’ Cup race aboard Forever Unbridled in the 2017 Distaff
• Became North America’s all-time leading money-earning jockey on Oct. 13, 2013 at Belmont Park, surpassing Pat Day’s mark of $297,914,839
• Became Saratoga’s all-time leading rider with 694 victories on July 27, 2013, eclipsing the previous record set by Jerry Bailey 
• Earned career victory No. 5,000 aboard Galloping Giraffe on June 14, 2013 at Belmont 
• Got his second Belmont Stakes victory in 2012, piloting Union Rags to a neck win over Paynter 
• Won his first Kentucky Derby in 2011 aboard Animal Kingdom and got his second in 2017 with Always Dreaming
• The 2009 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award recipient
• Won career victory No. 4,000 at Belmont Park on Sept. 28, 2008 aboard Rogue Agent 
• Won his first Triple Crown race aboard filly Rags to Riches in the 2007 Belmont Stakes 
• Won 2005 Dubai World Cup on Roses in May 
• 2004 and 2005 Eclipse Award as Top Jockey 
• Won career race 3,000 on July 29, 2004 aboard Runingforpresident at Saratoga; that day, more than 35,000 fans received a John Velazquez bobble-head doll 
• Won six races at Saratoga on Sept. 3, 2001 
• Won his first Grade 1 stakes race in 1995 on Turk Passer in the Turf Classic at Belmont 

NEW YORK RIDING TITLES

• 2011 Saratoga, 54 winners
• 2010 Saratoga, 57
• 2005 Aqueduct fall, 23
• 2004 New York, 228
• 2004 Belmont fall, 58
• 2004 Saratoga, 64
• 2004 Belmont spring/summer, 77
• 2003 New York, 230
• 2003 Aqueduct fall, 26
• 2003 Belmont fall, 44
• 2003 Saratoga, 61
• 2003 Belmont spring/summer, 69
• 2002 New York, 215
• 2002 Aqueduct fall, 32
• 2002 Belmont fall, 50
• 2002 Belmont spring/summer, 58
• 2002 Aqueduct spring, 33 (tie)
• 2001 New York, 239
• 2001 Aqueduct fall, 38
• 2001 Belmont spring/summer, 66
• 2001 Aqueduct spring, 43
• 2000 Aqueduct fall, 37
• 1999 Aqueduct fall, 23
• 1998 Aqueduct fall, 25 (tie)
• 1998 Saratoga, 31
• 1996 Aqueduct spring, 27