For the first time in his illustrious 32-year career, runner John Velazquez will be riding full-time this winter at Santa Anita . Park, starting on the race’s opening day, December 26.
A 50-year-old Puerto Rican native, Velazquez is North America’s all-time top jockey thanks to his rides, raking in more than $446 million from his 6,357 wins that. Four-time winner of Kentucky (G1) races, including this year’s run with Medina Spirit , Velazquez has won 18 Breeders ‘Cup races, including the 2020 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) with Real .
“We’re looking to spend the winter out there instead of going to Florida; we’re looking for some sort of change,” said the driver’s agent, Southern Californian Ron Anderson. “Johnny is at a point where we’re looking for good horses, graded shares and things like that… He’s going in and out (suburban) a bit, but something different. I think he’s excited about being there His wife Leona went out and got a place over the weekend.
“He’ll ride for everyone: Bob Baffert, Doug O’Neill, Richie Baltas, Dick Mandella, everyone. I’ll piece it together as we go. The first condition book is out ( Monday) and I had a few guys knocking on the door.”
Velazquez, winner of the 2009 George Woolf Memorial Bike Race of Santa Anita, also scored a milestone in Santa Anita as he passed the retired Jerry Bailey Hall of Fame with the winner’s stake. 661st on Baffert-trained train Bastard in Chandelier Stakes (G1) in 2019—making him the all-time top ranked winning horse race.
Velazquez will join a star-studded equestrian team led by Flavien Prat, Juan Hernandez, Umberto Rispoli, Joe Bravo, Abel Cedillo and Hall of Fame colleagues Kent Desormeaux, Victor Espinoza and Mike Smith.
Anderson also noted that while Velazquez will be based in Santa Anita through the end of March, he will also be flying out of town for big stakes like the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) in Gulfstream Park January 29 and other races nationally and internationally.
A dominant force on the East Coast for many years, Velazquez, who broke her maiden break in Puerto Rico on January 3, 1990, began riding full-time in New York later that year and fast soon befriended the legendary Puerto Rican Hall of Families. Cordero Jr., who was an invaluable mentor to Velazquez.
When Cordero retired, he became Velazquez’s agent in 1998. The results were immediate and they were remarkable, for Velazquez, who drove “first time” for top coach Todd Pletcher , continue to become Racecourse Saratogawas the all-time leading racer and became America’s top racer with money won in 2004 and 2005, and won the Eclipse Award as rider of the year both years.
Despite having enjoyed massive success with Cordero, Velazquez moved into late 2019, when he hired superstar agent Anderson, who at the time was working for Joel Rosario, with whom he continued represent.
Velazquez is also the chairman of the board of directors of the Jockeys’ Guild and a board member of the permanently disabled Jockeys Foundation.
“He’s one of the greatest people ever,” Anderson said. “What he does for the Jockeys’ Guild and all the time he’s involved, the encounters and following each racer through so many situations… He’s so different. He’s really, really someone special at the end of the day.He’s positive, he’s classy, he’s thoughtful, he’s nice to everyone.
“As a racer, his numbers and records speak for themselves. He’s the all-time top racer. You’ll see, he’s just someone special.”
