There are few more famous jockeys in the world of horse racing than John Velazquez. From humbling beginnings in Puerto Rico, the 53-year-old has emerged as one of the best riders in North American racing history, winning a staggering 15 races at the Breeders’ Cup, and six Triple Crown races during his esteemed career.
However, the superstar has shown no sign of slowing down this year, and he will likely go into the 2024 Breeders’ Cup challenge series with an excellent selection of adding to his tally of victories. But, what makes Velazquez so unique as a jockey, and what have been some of his biggest victories on track?
Early Life
Velazquez was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico, on February 24, 1971. During his time in his home country, he quickly grew an obsession with riding horses, and that led to Velazquez attending the esteemed jockey school in the nation for a year and a half. It didn’t take the jockey long to make a breakthrough on track, as he recorded a first victory aboard Rodas at El Nuevo Comandante in January 1990.
However, he was offered guidance from leading jockey Angel Cordero Jr and his agent during that time that his best chance of making a name for himself in the sport was to try his luck against the best riders in the United States. That led to Velazquez gaining a license to ride by New York State in late 1990.
Immediate Success In The U.S.
Velazquez arrived in the United States with a lofty reputation from his home country, meaning that there was immediate pressure on the jockey to gain victories in top-level competition. He delivered on that promise, with a first stakes win arriving in 1990 after gaining victory in the Ticonderoga at Aqueduct.
Graded success would soon follow in 1991 after landing the Ohio Derby with an excellent ride on Private Man. His transition to be one of the top stars in the jockey room would continue in 1995 after securing a first Grade One victory in the Turf Classic Invitational at Belmont Park. He would end the following season as the top jockey for the 1996 season at Aqueduct. A first riding title at Saratoga would follow just a few years later in 1998.
Breeders’ Cup Breakthrough
The Breeders’ Cup will forever hold a special place in Velazquez’s heart, as it would deliver one of the most iconic wins of his career in 1996. The jockey picked up the ride on Da Hoss in the Mile, but limited chance was given to the 1996 winner as he arrived to the event in poor form. However, Velazquez was able to get the best of the runner, building a stunning comeback in the closing stages to win by a head.
His reputation on track would continue to reach new heights in 2001 after he scored six wins in a single day at Saratoga. A 3,000th career victory would arrive aboard Runningforpresident at Saratoga, on a day which was named in the Puerto Rican’s honor.
The 2004 season would end with Velazquez operating at a staggering 25% win rate, claiming two further victories at the Breeders’ Cup in the same year after landing the Distaff and Sprint. He would break the national earnings record in 2005, winning 65 stages races across 15 tracks. However, a first Triple Crown win would still elude him.
Triple Crown Breakthrough
By the time that the Belmont Stakes rolled around in 2007, Velazquez had gone 0-21 in Triple Crown races. That record looked set to continue until he picked up the late ride aboard Rags to Riches at Belmont Park. The runner stumbled out of the stalls, but he recovered and avoided several bumps to land success in the final Triple Crown race of the season by a head. Making history in the process by becoming the first filly since 1905 to win the Belmont Stakes.
A first Kentucky Derby success would later arrive in 2011 after taking the ride on Animal Kingdom following the late scratch of his intended ride Uncle Mo. In the following season, he would win the Belmont Stakes for a second time with Union Rags, before landing further Breeders’ Cup success in the Mile aboard Wise Dan. The season would end on a high for Velazquez, as he was inducted into the National Museum Hall of Fame.
Breeders’ Cup Injury & Return
Velazquez’s 2013 campaign ended abruptly due to injury, but he got back to his very best in 2017 when landing the Kentucky Derby for a second time when aboard Always Dreaming. Further history would follow later in the season when winning the Distaff and Mile at the Breeders’ Cup to tie with Jerry Bailey for the most wins at the event.
Authentic would give Velazquez a third win in the Kentucky Derby in 2020, before he appeared to win the race for a second consecutive year with Medina Spirit, before the Bob Baffert runner was subsequently disqualified. However, he would achieve further Triple Crown success in 2023 when riding National Treasure to a dominant win in the Preakness Stakes.
