John Velazquez
Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez has nearly 6,000 victories and purse earnings that exceed $369 million. He received the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey in both 2004 and 2005 and the George Woolf Memorial Award in 2009. Velazquez is chairman of the Jockeys’ Guild board of directors and has served on the PDJF board since 2006.
Awards & Accomplishments
- Triple Crown: Winner of the Kentucky Derby (twice officially, three times total), Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes.
- Breeders’ Cup: A dominant force, winning multiple Breeders’ Cup races, including the Classic and Distaff.
- Hall of Fame: Inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2012.
- Earnings Leader: Became North America’s all-time leading jockey by earnings in 2014.
- Major Track Records: All-time leading rider at Saratoga and first to 2,000 wins at Belmont Park.
- Awards: 2004 & 2005 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey.
Career Highlights
John Velazquez is a legendary, Hall of Fame Puerto Rican jockey known as “Johnny V,” one of North America’s all-time leading money-earning riders with multiple Kentucky Derby wins (including with Authentic in 2020), Preakness (2023), and numerous Breeders’ Cup victories, recognized for his exceptional skill, work ethic, and successful partnership with trainer Todd Pletcher, consistently winning at major tracks like Saratoga and Belmont Park.
Testimonial