John Velasquez

John Velazquez
Velazquez in 2016
Occupation	Jockey
Born	(1971-11-24) November 24, 1971 (age 45) Carolina, Puerto Rico
Career wins	5,585 As of 29 August 2016[update]
Major racing wins
American Classic & Breeders' Cup wins: Kentucky Derby (2011, 2017) Belmont Stakes (2007, 2012) Breeders' Cup Mile (1998, 2012) Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2000, 2002) Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2002, 2011) Breeders' Cup Distaff (2004) Breeders' Cup Sprint (2004) Breeders' Cup Turf (2007, 2014) Breeders' Cup Juvenile (2010) Breeders' Cup Marathon (2010) Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (2011) International race wins: Woodbine Mile (2000, 2005, 2012, 2013) E. P. Taylor Stakes (2004, 2005, 2011) Dubai World Cup (2005) Grade I stakes wins Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Handicap (1995, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2012) Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (1995, 2008, 2012) Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap (1995, 2005, 2013) Alabama Stakes (1996, 2003, 2014) Beldame Stakes (1996, 2005, 2010) Champagne Stakes (1996, 2004, 2006, 2010) Futurity Stakes (1996, 1998, 2006, 2012, 2014) Metropolitan Handicap (1996, 1999, 2010, 2012, 2014) Mother Goose Stakes (1996, 2001, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2014) Test Stakes (1996, 1999, 2008) Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (1998, 2006, 2012, 2014) Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (1999, 2014) Acorn Stakes (2000, 2007, 2008, 2015) Coaching Club American Oaks (2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2015) Vosburgh Stakes (2001, 2006, 2012) Frizette Stakes (2002, 2005, 2009, 2012) Personal Ensign Handicap (2002, 2004, 2012) Whitney Handicap (2002, 2007, 2008, 2013) Donn Handicap (2003, 2010, 2012, 2016) Kentucky Oaks (2004) Blue Grass Stakes (2005, 2015) Ballerina Stakes (2005, 2012, 2015, 2016) Clark Handicap (2005, 2011) Travers Stakes (2005) Haskell Invitational (2006, 2013) Florida Derby (2009, 2013, 2015) Wood Memorial Stakes (2010, 2013, 2016)
Racing awards
United States Champion Jockey by earnings (2004, 2005) Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey (2004, 2005) George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award (2009)
Honours
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (2012)
Significant horses
Da Hoss, Storm Flag Flying, Lemon Drop Kid, Ashado, Kitten's Joy, Flower Alley, Lawyer Ron, Roses in May, Bluegrass Cat, Circular Quay, Scat Daddy, Rags to Riches, Commentator, Indian Blessing, Uncle Mo, Animal Kingdom, Wise Dan, Curalina, Always Dreaming

American Classic & Breeders' Cup wins:

International race wins:

John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971) is a Puerto Rican-born American jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. Born in Puerto Rico, where he began his career as a jockey, he came to the mainland US in 1990. He was inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2012, rode his 5,000th winner in 2013, and became the leading money-earning jockey in the history of the sport in 2014.

A winner of thirteen Breeders' Cup and four Triple Crown races including the 2011 and 2017 Kentucky Derby, Velázquez has also won major graded stakes races such as the Kentucky Oaks, Metropolitan Handicap, Whitney Handicap, Dubai World Cup and Woodbine Mile. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both years was given the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey.

Velazquez was born in Carolina, Puerto Rico and learned to ride there, attending a jockey school for a year and a half. On January 3, 1990, he won his first race, aboard Rodas at El Nuevo Comandante racetrack in Canóvanas, Puerto Rico. That same year, he moved to New York State and obtained guidance from leading jockey Angel Cordero Jr. Richie Allen was his first agent, followed in 1992 by Ralph Theroux. Velazquez initially lived with Cordero and later said that he learned to speak English by watching The Little Mermaid with Cordero's daughter for  2 ¹⁄₂ months. In 1998, Cordero became his agent. "Without Angel, I wouldn't be here," said Velazquez in 2005. "I learned from him, not just about riding, but everything you need to survive. Since I've been here, he's always been behind me 100%, even when he was still riding."

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