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110-00 Rockaway Blvd
Jamaica, NY 11420
Tracks
Featured Race: Race 1 Approx. Post Time: 12 10 PM (Nov 21)
1
Kiss Me Slow
2A
Ice Cream Boat
3B
Delicious Diva
4B
She's Fascinating
5A
Vanilla Sundae
6
Keepthedreamalive
7
Sharp Smile

John R. Velazquez

photo of John R. Velazquez
Birthdate: November 24, 1971
Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
Height: 5 feet, 6 inches
Weight: 112 pounds

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

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

  • 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 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • 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 trainer Leo O’Brien

FIRST WINNER

  • Rodas, 1990, El Comandante, Puerto Rico
  • My Brother Jay, March 12, 1990, Aqueduct

All-Time NYRA Career Stats

Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings
5923 1035 845 797 $112,009,985.00

Recent Years

Year Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Earnings
2024 277 43 35 35 $6,021,133.00
2023 196 31 19 30 $4,195,001.00
2022 234 38 34 28 $4,623,489.00
2021 348 49 41 47 $6,966,979.00
2020 346 51 52 52 $4,708,373.00
2019 413 72 63 54 $8,873,913.00
2018 526 92 85 66 $8,915,207.00
2017 599 121 87 91 $10,153,781.00
2016 678 131 91 90 $12,698,710.00
2015 637 121 90 91 $12,639,828.00
2014 655 110 103 79 $11,404,006.00
2013 543 94 88 83 $10,974,485.00
2012 471 82 57 51 $9,835,080.00
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