Velazquez sets new earnings record

Jockey John Velazquez has been red hot all year and now he has passed the single-season record for earnings for North American jockeys that was set by Jerry Bailey in 2003. The old record was $23,354,960 and Velazquez new mark is $23,356,456 and counting after the $105,200 his mount India earned for her third place finish in the Valley Stream Stakes at Aqueduct on Sunday. He should increase this total significantly before the end of the year.

Velazquez has had 12 Grade or Group 1 wins this year including the $6 million Dubai World Cup aboard Roses in May and the $1 million Travers Stakes aboard Flower Alley. Some of his other mounts this year included Ashado, Leroidesanimaux, English Channel, Suave, Luas Line, and First Samurai. He was the Eclipse Award winner for outstanding Jockey in 2004 and looks to be a front runner for the honor again this year.

Velazquez, who will turn 34 on November 24th, started riding in 1988 at the jockey school in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990 under the guidance of Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero who is still his agent. He has set other records including winning six races on a card at Saratoga in 2001, riding 65 winners during the Saratoga meet in 2004, and has been the leading jockey in New York for the last four years. He won his 3000th career race in 2004 and was also aboard two Breeders' Cup winners that year to bring his total Breeders' Cup victories to six.

So far his career has been brilliant and there is no reason to expect anything less from him in the future.