John R. Velazquez

Horseracing personalities infobox


name = John Velazquez
|caption =
occupation = Jockey
birthplace = Carolina, Puerto Rico
birth date = November 24, 1971
death date =
career wins = 3,000+ (ongoing)
race = Belmont Stakes (2007)
Breeders' Cup Mile (1998)
Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (2000, 2002)
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2002)
Breeders' Cup Distaff (2004)
Breeders' Cup Sprint (2004)
Jamaica Handicap (1994, 1998, 2002)
Joe Hirsch Turf Classic Invitational Handicap
(1995, 2004, 2005)
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (1995)
Garden City Breeders' Cup Handicap (1995, 2005)
Alabama Stakes (1996, 2003)
Beldame Stakes (1996, 2005)
Champagne Stakes (1996, 2004, 2006)
Futurity Stakes (1996, 1998, 2006)
Metropolitan Handicap (1996, 1999)
Mother Goose Stakes (1996, 2001)
Flower Bowl Invitational Stakes (1998, 2006)
Maker's Mark Mile Stakes (1999)
Vagrancy Handicap (1999, 2001, 2004, 2005)
Acorn Stakes (2000)
Ashland Stakes (2001)
Ladies Handicap (2001)
Lawrence Realization Stakes (2001, 2002)
Remsen Stakes (2001, 2005)
Vosburgh Stakes (2001, 2006)
Dwyer Stakes (2002, 2003)
Frizette Stakes (2002, 2005)
Matron Stakes (2002)
Personal Ensign Handicap (2002, 2004)
Suburban Handicap (2002)
Whitney Handicap (2002)
Saranac Handicap (2003)
Kentucky Oaks (2004)
Blue Grass Stakes (2005)
Brooklyn Handicap (2005)
Clark Handicap (2005)
Travers Stakes (2005)
Louisiana Derby (2007)
Orchid Handicap (2005, 2006, 2008)
Saratoga Breeders' Cup Handicap (2005)
Fountain of Youth Stakes (2007)
Beaugay Handicap (2008)

American Classic Race wins:
Belmont Stakes (2007)

International race wins:
Woodbine Mile (2000, 2005)
E. P. Taylor Stakes (2004, 2005)
Dubai World Cup (2005)
awards = United States Champion Jockey by earnings
(2004, 2005)
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
(2004, 2005)
honours =
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
updated = April 1, 2007

John R. Velazquez (born November 24, 1971 in Carolina, Puerto Rico) is a jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. He learned to race in his native Puerto Rico and under the guidance of agent and former jockey Angel Cordero, Jr., in 1990 he moved to race in New York State.

A winner of six Breeders' Cup races, he has also won graded stakes races such as the Kentucky Oaks, Blue Grass Stakes, Dubai World Cup, E. P. Taylor Stakes (twice), Whitney Handicap, Woodbine Mile, plus the Cigar Mile Handicap. To date in his career, John Velazquez has ridden more than 3,000 winners. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and was voted the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2004 and 2005.

Advertising controversy

John Velazquez was also one of the first of five top jockeys to wear advertising patches in the Kentucky Derby, starting in 2004. They sued on First Amendment grounds, to be allowed to wear ad patches during the race. The ruling was issued on April 21, 2004, by U.S. District Judge John Heyburn in Louisville.

The patches, worth approximately $30,000 apiece, were legal in other Triple Crown states of New York and Maryland, but were argued by The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority that they might lead to corruption and violated racing tradition.

The other jockeys included Jerry Bailey, Jose Santos, Gary Stevens, and Shane Sellers.

2007 Belmont Stakes

In the 2007 Belmont Stakes, Velazquez earned his first win in a Triple Crown race when he rode Rags to Riches to a victory that made her the first filly to win the race since 1905.

Family

John Velazquez married Leona O'Brien, the daughter of trainer Leo O'Brien. They have two children, a daughter, Lerina, and a son, Michael Patrick.

External links

* [http://www.ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=1802 John Velazquez at the National Thoroughbred Racing Association]
* [http://www.usatoday.com/money/2004-04-29-derby_x.htm USA Today Derby Jockeys Can Wear Ads]