Horse Racing's Finest: Top 5 North American Jockeys of 2008

by Patricia Woo | Nov 5 2008

Racehorses get all the glory, but it's the jockeys that help them get there – navigating tight spaces, finding the best path through traffic and knowing the best time to kick things into high gear. Here are Bodog Racebook’s picks for the top five jockeys in North America this year.

1. Garrett Gomez – Entered rehab from substance abuse in October 2003 and missed 21 months of racing; came back even better. Last year's Eclipse award winner for Outstanding Jockey. Tops leader board for highest grossing North American jockeys: has accumulated lifetime earnings of over $21.5M. Most recently, scored the amazing achievement of four victories in this year's Breeders’ Cup, aboard Ventura in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare sprint and then Albertus Maximus in the Dirt Mile, Midshipman in the Juvenile and Midnight Lute in the Sprint.

2. Kent Desormeaux – Two-time Eclipse award winner for Outstanding Jockey. Has twice ridden mounts to Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes glory and then failed to capture the Belmont Stakes – first in 1998 with Real Quiet and then in 2008 with Big Brown. Also saddled Mauralakana, Casino Drive, Adriano, Silver Tree and Cool Coal Man to victory this year. Scored his 5,000th career win in July 2008. National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame inductee. Lifetime earnings exceed $14.7M.

3. Edgar Prado – Multiple award-winning jockey. In 2002, won the Belmont Stakes with Sarava, the longest shot ever to win the race. Rode Barbaro to victory in the Kentucky Derby in 2006 and was aboard during his catastrophic injury during the Preakness Stakes. This year, has been the winning rider for Benny the Bull (Smile Sprint), Tough Tiz’s Sis (Ruffian Handicap) and Adriano (Lane's End Stakes). Was inducted into the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame and won his 6,000th race this year. Lifetime earnings exceed $14M.

4. John R. Velazquez – Won Outstanding Jockey Award in 2004 and 2005. Most notable win was in 2007's Belmont Stakes with Rags to Riches, who held off Curlin to become the first filly since 1905 to win that race. Rode Commentator (Massachusetts Handicap), Indian Blessing (Test Stakes) and Wait a While (Yellow Ribbon Stakes) to victory this year, and placed second in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic with Henrythenavigator. Is currently fourth in lifetime earnings with just over $14M.

5. Mike E. Smith – In 2000, was awarded the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award by his peers; is a two-time Eclipse award-winner. Has the most Breeders' Cup titles of all active riders, and added two more this year aboard Zenyatta (Ladies’ Classic) and Stardom Bound (Juvenile Fillies). Has career earnings of over $8.8M.


Honorable Mentions:
Martin Pedroza – This year at Fairplex Park in Pomona, Calif., Pedroza won seven races on Friday, Sept. 5, and another seven races on Sunday. Four days later, he won another four consecutive races.

Robby Albarado – Is Curlin's regular jockey, and this year alone rode Curlin to victory in the Dubai World Cup, the Stephen Foster Handicap, the Woodward Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup.


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