Famous Latin American Horse Jockeys
Horse racing is one of the most inclusive sports in the world, but few demographics have had a more important role in the world of equine sports than Latin American jockeys.
Riders from nations such as Mexico, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic have made global headlines for their performances in graded races in the United States, with some even achieving the ultimate honor of winning Triple Crown races.
Latin American riders will feature prominently in the racecards that will be examined at the season-ending event at Keeneland this year, ensuring it is important to consider their success before you bet on horse racing.
But which Latin American riders have become the most successful riders due to their performances on the track?
Victor Espinoza
One of the most successful Latin American jockeys in history is Victor Espinoza. The Mexican-born rider began riding in his home country before moving to California in 1990. Espinoza immediately became renowned as a big-race rider, becoming the leading apprentice at Bay Meadows and Golden Gate Fields.
His big breakthrough would come in 2000, landing the Breeders’ Cup Distaff aboard Spain. This would be a major moment, and just months later, he was given a first ride in the Kentucky Derby, finishing third aboard Congaree.
Triple Crown success would be achieved a year later, winning the Kentucky Derby and Preakness with War Emblem. It would be a long wait before further glory in the Triple Crown races, before winning the 2014 Derby and Preakness on California Chrome. International honors would also be achieved in the same year, riding Hootenanny to glory in the Windsor Castle Stakes at Royal Ascot.
Angel Cordero Jr
There are few more inspiring Latin American jockeys in history than Angel Cordero Jr. The Puerto Rican is regarded for being one of the most successful jockeys in the 20th century, achieving over 7,000 career victories during his esteemed career.
Cordero Jr moved to the United States in the 1960s, making a name for himself at Saratoga Racecourse, by becoming the leading jockey at the track for 13 years. However, he would get his moment in the Triple Crown races away from the Spa, winning the Derby aged 31 in 1974 aboard Cannonade.
Cordero would win two more editions of the opening leg of the Triple Crown, becoming one of just eight riders in the race’s history to record three wins. He would also gain further success in Triple Crown races, winning the 1976 Belmont Stakes and two editions of the Preakness Stakes. He would also showcase his ability at the Breeders’ Cup, winning the Distaff, Juvenile Fillies, and Sprint. His achievements were honored in 1988, becoming the first Puerto Rican to be inducted into the United States’ Racing Hall of Fame.
Jose Ortiz
There have been few more successful Latin American jockeys in recent memory than Jose Ortiz. Born in Puerto Rico, the jockey moved to the United States in 2012. However, his career is as much about overcoming challenges as just moments in the winners’ enclosure.
Ortiz was forced to miss months of action just weeks after moving to the United States, puncturing a lung after a fall on July 15, 2012. However, his character would ensure that he would get back to the top of the sport, winning a first Grade One aboard Strong Mandate in the Hopeful Stakes.
A notable breakthrough came in 2016, winning the Belmont Stakes aboard Tapwrit and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile later in the same season. However, he is most fondly remembered for his 2026 victories in the Triple Crown, winning the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes with Golden Tempo.
He would achieve the unlikely double at Churchill Downs this year, having also landed the Kentucky Oaks with Always A Runner, just 24 hours before winning the Derby for the first time.
John Velazquez
John Velazquez remains one of the most respected jockeys in the weighing room, and he continues to be a major rider in the big races throughout the season. Velazquez moved to the United States in 1990, just months after winning his first professional race in his home country of Puerto Rico.
Angel Cordero Jr would be a mentor figure for the rider throughout his early career in the U.S., and he would waste little time in making his mark in graded races, winning the Ohio Derby aboard Private Man in 1995. Velazquez’s first Breeders’ Cup win would come in the Mile, with Da Hoss’s victory regarded as the ‘greatest comeback since Lazarus’.
Major race wins on the Triple Crown calendar would be achieved in 2011, 2017 and 2020 in the Kentucky Derby, while he also won the 2007 and 2012 editions of the Belmont Stakes and the 2023 Preakness Stakes. One of his most memorable moments on track would come in the 2020 Breeders’ Cup Classic, as Authentic won the big race of the two-day season ending meeting.
