Birthdate - Nov. 24, 1971
Birthplace - Carolina, Puerto Rico
Height - 5 feet, 6 inches
Weight - 112 pounds
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
* Won his first Kentucky Derby in 2011 aboard Animal Kingdom, a mount he picked up the day before the race, replacing Robby Albarado who had broken his nose in a post parade spill two days before.
* Saratoga’s top rider in 2011 with 54 victories; also passed mentor and agent, Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr., to take the second spot on the all-time win list at the Spa with 655 victories to Jerry Bailey’s 693.
* Won career victory No. 4,000 at Belmont Park on Sept. 28, 2008 aboard Rogue Agent.
* Won his first Triple Crown race aboard filly Rags to Riches in the 2007 Belmont Stakes.
* 2005 winner of the Dubai World Cup aboard Roses in May.
* 2004 and 2005 Eclipse Award as Top Jockey
* Established record victories at Saratoga with 61 wins in 2003 and then 64 wins in 2004.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
* Chairman of the Jockeys’ Guild Board of Directors; also on the Board of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
* Entered Puerto Rico’s jockey school in 1988.
* Moved to New York in March 1990 under the guidance of jockey Angel Cordero Jr., who would later become his agent.
FIRST WINNER
* Rodas, 1990, El Comandante, Puerto Rico
MAJOR NEW YORK STAKES WINS
Acorn: Zaftig (2008); Cotton Blossom (2007)
Adirondack: Position Limit (2010)
Alabama: Island Fashion (2003); Yanks Music (1996)
Alfred G. Vanderbilt: Speightstown (2004)
Amsterdam: Discreetly Mine (2010); Quality Road (2009)
Ballerina: Happy Ticket (2005)
Beldame: Life At Ten (2010); Ashado (2005); Yanks Music (1996)
Carter: Morning Line (2011); Kodiak Kowboy (2009)
Champagne: Uncle Mo (2010); Scat Daddy (2006); Proud Accolade (2004); Ordway (1996)
Cigar Mile: Left Bank (2001)
Coaching Club American Oaks: Devil May Care (2010); Octave (2007); Ashado (2004); Tweedside (2001)
Demoiselle: Mushka (2007); Sis City (2004); Roar Emotion (2002); Smok’n Frolic (2001)
Diana: Sand Springs (2005); Starine (2001); Perfect Arc (1995)
Empire Classic: Instant Friendship (1997)
Flower Bowl Inv.: Honey Ryder (2006); Auntie Mame (1998)
Forego: Pyro (2009); Pomeroy (2006)
Frizette: Adieu (2005); Storm Flag Flying (2002)
Futurity: King of the Roxy (2006); Lemon Drop Kid (1998); Traitor (1996)
Gallant Bloom: Indian Blessing (2009); Lady Tak (2004); Finder’s Fee (2001); Top Secret (1997)
Garden City: Luas Line (2005)
Go For Wand: Ashado (2005)
Jamaica: Finality (2002); Vergennes (1998); Pennine Ridge (1994)
Jim Dandy: A Little Warm (2010); Flower Alley (2005); Purge (2004); Strong Hope (2003)
Just a Game: Sand Springs (2005)
Kelso: Uncle Mo (2011); Green Fee (2002)
King’s Bishop: Discreetly Mine (2010); Henny Hughes (2006); Gygistar (2002)
Matron: Millionreasonswhy (2011); Storm Flag Flying (2002)
Metropolitan H.: Quality Road (2010); Sir Bear (1999); Honour and Glory (1996)
Mother Goose: Buster’s Ready (2011); Devil May Care (2010); Octave (2007); Fleet Renee (2001); Yanks Music (1996)
New York: Lady Shakespeare (2010); Auntie Mame (1998); Irish Linnet (1995)
Ogden Phipps: Awesome Maria (2011): Life At Ten (2010); Ashado (2005); Raging Fever (2002)
Personal Ensign: Storm Flag Flying (2004); Summer Colony (2002)
Peter Pan: Purge (2004); Jamies First Punch (1996)
Prioress: Indian Blessing (2008); Carson Hollow (2002); Capote Belle (1996); Penny’s Reshoot (1994)
Remsen: To Honor and Serve (2010); Bluegrass Cat (2005); Saarland (2001)
Ruffian: Malibu Prayer (2010); Pool Land (2006); Sightseek (2004); Yanks Music (1996)
Sanford: Overdriven (2011); Ready’s Image (2007); Scat Daddy (2006); Chapel Royal (2003); Buster’s Daydream (2001); More Than Ready (1999)
Spinaway: Adieu (2005); Circle of Life (1999)
Suburban: E Dubai (2002)
Sword Dancer Inv.: Cetewayo (1998)
Test: Indian Blessing (2008); Marley Vale (1999); Capote Belle (1996)
Top Flight: Cat Cay (2001); Belle Cherie (1999)
Tom Fool: Munnings (2009); High Finance (2007); Left Bank (2002)
Travers: Flower Alley (2005)
True North: Trappe Shot (2011); Speightstown (2004)
Turf Classic Inv.: English Channel (2007); English Channel (2006); Kitten’s Joy (2004); Turk Passer (1995)
Vosburgh: Henny Hughes (2006); Left Bank (2001)
Whitney: Commentator (2008); Lawyer Ron (2007); Left Bank (2002)
Wood Memorial: Eskendereya (2010)
Woodward: Quality Road (2010); Lawyer Ron (2007)
Woody Stephens: Munnings (2009)
TRIPLE CROWN & BREEDERS’ CUP WINS
Kentucky Derby: Animal Kingdom (2011)
Belmont Stakes: Rags to Riches (2007); Union Rags (2012)
Distaff: Ashado (2004)
Filly & Mare Turf: Perfect Shirl (2011); Starine (2002)
Juvenile: Uncle Mo (2010)
Juvenile Fillies: Storm Flag Flying (2002); Caressing (2000)
Marathon: Eldaafer (2010)
Mile: Da Hoss (1998)
Sprint: Speightstown (2004)
Turf: English Channel (2007)