- Avelino Gomez
Horseracing personalities infobox
name = Avelino Gomez
caption =
occupation =Jockey
birthplace =Havana ,Cuba
birth date = 1928
death date =June 21 ,1980
career wins = 4,081
race =Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (1951)Plate Trial Stakes
(1955, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964-1967)
Autumn Cup Handicap (1955, 1959, 1966, 1967)Victoria Stakes (1956, 1960, 1966, 1967)Connaught Cup Stakes (1957, 1960, 1966)Queen's Plate (1957, 1960, 1966, 1969)Prince of Wales Stakes (1959, 1964)Breeders' Stakes (1959, 1966, 1967)Cup and Saucer Stakes (1959, 1964, 1966)Colin Stakes (1960, 1966, 1976)
Summer Stakes (1960, 1965, 1966, 1969, 1972)Dominion Day Stakes (1961, 1966)Coronation Futurity Stakes
(1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1972)
Grey Stakes
(1965, 1966, 1967)Shady Well Stakes
(1966, 1972, 1976, 1978)E. P. Taylor Stakes (1967, 1973)Frizette Stakes (1969)
awards = Leading jockey at Woodbine Racetrack
(1956, 1957, 1960, 1966, 1967)North American Champion Jockey by wins (1966)Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey (1977)
Sovereign Award of Merit (1978)
honours =Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame (1977)
United States Racing Hall of Fame (1982)Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (1990)
Life-size statue atWoodbine Racetrack Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
horses = Nearctic, New Providence, Lyford Cay, Victoria Park,Affectionately , Ridan,Dancer's Image
Titled Hero ,Cool Reception
updated = March 2, 2007Avelino Gomez (
1928 -June 21 ,1980 ) was aCuba n-born Hall of Famejockey in American and Canadian thoroughbred horse racing.Born in
Havana , Gomez began a career as a jockey at the urging of a family member. He won his first race inMexico City and eventually moved on to the United States where he built a reputation as a very capable rider, gaining considerable attention after winning six races during one racecard at Ascot Park inAkron, Ohio . He eventually began riding atWoodbine Racetrack inToronto ,Ontario , where he would make his home and raise his family and where he became a dominant force in racing for more than twenty years.Canada's top jockey on seven occasions, in 1966 Gomez became the first jockey in Canadian racing history to win 300 races in a single season and his 318 wins that year was tops in
North America . His win percentage for the 1966 season of .32 was the highest ever for a North American champion, a record that still stands. He was a four-time winner of Canada's most prestigious race, theQueen's Plate and the winner of the 1977Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey .In 1978, Avelino Gomez was recognized with the
Sovereign Award of Merit for his lifetime contribution to the sport. He was elected to theCanadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 1977, the U.S.National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1982 andCanada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.Avelino Gomez died of complications after a three-horse accident during the running of the
Canadian Oaks in 1980. He had won 4,081 races with a 24% winning percentage.The
Avelino Gomez Memorial Award is given annually to the person, Canadian-born, Canadian-raised, or regular rider in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sport. A life-size statue of him can be seen at Woodbine Racetrack.External links
* [http://www.canadianhorseracinghalloffame.com/jockeys/1977/Avelino_Gomez.asp Avelino Gomez at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame]
* [http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/jockey.asp?ID=186 Avelino Gomez at the United States National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame]
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