The Kentucky Derby is considered to be one of the top races in the world of horse racing. It is held annually at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Apart from live audiences of thousands, the event is watched on TV by millions of viewers from all over the world. The riders on horses that compete in the Kentucky Derby are extremely skilled and proficient. It is often claimed that winning the Derby is what every jockey dreams of.
Why? There are many reasons. First, the Kentucky Derby is the biggest and most talked-about horse race in the entire world. Secondly, the race is very fast and very tough. The jockey has to steer the horse the 1¼ miles long way with up to 19 other horses running alongside. The crowd is noisy, the pressure is massive, and if you make one mistake, you can lose the race. There is, however, also a big money prize. The winning jockey will receive approximately 10% of the total purse, which this year is worth $310,000 out of a $3.1 million winner’s share.
At the 151st Kentucky Derby, the lineup includes both past victors and new riders. Some jockeys have already won the Derby, while others are dreaming of tasting success for the first time in their careers. Let's find out the top jockeys who are riding in this year's Kentucky Derby and why they are the best.
Riding the horse Sovereignty, Junior Alvarado comes from Venezuela. This is his sixth time competing in the Kentucky Derby. The best result of his has been fourth place in 2016. He is one of the major jockeys in New York and Florida and works with the famous trainer Bill Mott. Junior got injured and missed the race once, but now he is coming back and is full of energy for the Derby again.
Another jockey from Venezuela is Javier Castellano. He is on the saddle of Owen Almighty. This year, among all riders, he has the most Derby experience. He has been on the Derby 16 times. In 2023, he finally made it to the top and won the Kentucky Derby when he was riding Mage. Together with the Racing Hall of Fame, he has achieved a lot of other big wins as well. Some of the fans say he is one of the strongest riders in the world.
Manny Franco comes from Puerto Rico, and his horse is called East Avenue. He has only been in the Kentucky Derby five times. His best position was runner-up in 2020. Manny is known for his incredible speed and very aggressive riding style. He rides in the toughest races in New York. Since East Avenue is a very fast horse, Manny may decide to get the lead and start the race early.
Martin Garcia is from Mexico and rides Citizen Bull. He is considered one of the best pace jockeys, meaning he is very good at starting fast and at controlling the race. He was riding Citizen Bull when they won a major race at the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile last year. If the early race is fast, Garcia could be one of the leaders there.
Last year, in 2024, Brian Hernandez Jr. was the winner at the Kentucky Derby with the horse Mystik Dan. This time, he is riding Burnham Square. Brian has been around for a long time, and he has made a good career out of it. If he manages to grab the victory this year, he would be the very few jockeys to accomplish consecutive Derby wins.
Nik Juarez is a first-time participant in the Kentucky Derby. The horse he is riding is American Promise. Nik has been part of many competitive races in New York and Florida, and this year, his performance at Oaklawn Park was quite remarkable. American Promise secured the Virginia Derby title and is considered a strong young horse.
Christophe Lemaire is a Frenchman, and his horse is Admire Daytona. He is widely known because he has won the major racing events in France, England, Australia, and Japan. In Dubai, his horse won a big race to qualify for the Derby.
Julien Leparoux is also a Frenchman, and he is Render Judgment's rider. He has been in the Kentucky Derby 14 times as a jockey. He is a player of patience, and very often he holds back until he sees the opportunity to come forward with his move in the race.
Jareth Loveberry has only once before in the Derby, and he came in second in 2023. This year, he rides the Chunk of Gold. He was very close to winning the Derby two years ago, so the majority of people think that he might as well be the one to surprise the fans again.
Luan Machado is from Brazil, and he is Final Gambit's rider. This is his first experience at the Kentucky Derby. He achieved great wins at Turfway Park, and he is the one people talk about when it comes to a strong finish from behind in the last part of the race.
In Hong Kong, people refer to João Moreira as the "Magic Man" just because he is incredibly good. One of the best horses in Japan bred runs under Moreira. Fans cannot wait to see him at the Kentucky Derby, which he is attending for the first time.
Irad Ortiz Jr. is one of the most illustrious jockeys across the globe. He rides Publisher. Irad has never won the Kentucky Derby, even though he is one of the leading riders in North America.
Jose Ortiz is the brother of Irad. He rides Sandman, a horse that is a strong closer. In the past, Jose has been the runner-up in the Kentucky Derby only once.
Flavien Prat is a French-born jockey of Baeza. In 2019, he took the Kentucky Derby crown home. Last year, he also set a record for the number of stakes races and graded stakes wins.
Joseph Ramos is the youngest in the group of jockeys that are competing in this race. This is his debut Derby, and he is riding Flying Mohawk. Ramos recently made his dream of Derby after his return from a motorcycle accident.
Umberto Rispoli is in Journalism, a horse that has a strong chance. The jockey has been racking up wins in California and would like to extend the good fortune to the Kentucky Derby.
Joel Rosario took the 2013 Kentucky Derby trophy and is currently the jockey on Tiztastic. He is most known for his strong finishing Kick and for coming from behind.
Luis Saez won the Derby in 2019, but his horse was disqualified. This year, he is on Neoequos and makes a wish to achieve victory for real.
Juan Vargas is in the race for the Coal Battle. The Peruvian-born jockey started his career in his homeland, then came to the U.S., and after that, he put a lot of work into getting here. This is his first Kentucky Derby.
| Jockey | Age | Horse | Country | Past Derby Rides | Best Finish |
| Junior Alvarado | 38 | Sovereignty | Venezuela | 5 | 4th (2016) |
| Javier Castellano | 47 | Owen Almighty | Venezuela | 16 | 1st (2023) |
| Manny Franco | 30 | East Avenue | Puerto Rico | 5 | 2nd (2020) |
| Martin Garcia | 40 | Citizen Bull | Mexico | 4 | 3rd (2015) |
| Brian Hernandez Jr. | 39 | Burnham Square | USA | 5 | 1st (2024) |
| Nik Juarez | 31 | American Promise | USA | 0 | N/A |
| Christophe Lemaire | 45 | Admire Daytona | France | 2 | 6th (2023) |
| Julien Leparoux | 41 | Render Judgment | France | 14 | 4th (2017) |
| Jareth Loveberry | 37 | Chunk of Gold | USA | 1 | 2nd (2023) |
| Luan Machado | 30 | Final Gambit | Brazil | 0 | N/A |
| João Moreira | 41 | Luxor Cafe | Brazil | 0 | N/A |
| Irad Ortiz Jr. | 32 | Publisher | Puerto Rico | 8 | 4th (2019) |
| Jose Ortiz | 31 | Sandman | Puerto Rico | 9 | 2nd (2018) |
| Flavien Prat | 32 | Baeza | France | 7 | 1st (2019) |
| Joseph Ramos | 25 | Flying Mohawk | Puerto Rico | 0 | N/A |
| Umberto Rispoli | 36 | Journalism | Italy | 2 | 9th (2024) |
| Joel Rosario | 40 | Tiztastic | Dominican Republic | 13 | 1st (2013) |
| Luis Saez | 32 | Neoequos | Panama | 11 | 3rd (2021) |
| Juan Vargas | 43 | Coal Battle | Peru | 0 | N/A |
The jockeys of the Kentucky Derby are not simply riders. They are physically fit, daring, and victorious. A few of them arrive at the Derby with awards and previous wins. At the same time, some are only visiting this place for the very first time. However, they all have one thing in common, which is to become the first ones to record their name in history by winning the Kentucky Derby.
Some of the top jockeys include Javier Castellano, Brian Hernandez Jr., and Flavien Prat.
There are up to 20 jockeys who can take part in the Kentucky Derby annually.
Yes, the winning jockey receives around 10% of the owner's prize money.
Brian Hernandez Jr. was the winner of the Kentucky Derby in 2024.
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