Jockeys' Guild

06/02/2026

Meet the 2026 Belmont Stakes Jockeys

The group of jockeys assembled to ride in this year’s Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets includes many of the leading riders in the Empire State, including five who competed in last year’s race.

06/01/2026

Q&A With Jockey Jaime Torres: Continuing Lukas’ Legacy

Fresh off his first Kentucky Derby mount, Paulick Report intern Kaitlyn Hill caught up with Preakness-winning jockey Jaime Torres at Churchill Downs this week. Check out their conversation involving career milestones, memorable horses and people along the way, and what it takes to compete at the ...

05/29/2026

‘Can’t Go Wrong’: John Velazquez Will Ride Commandment In Belmont Stakes

The Hall of Fame jockey has won the final leg of the Triple Crown on two occasions

05/28/2026

Jockey Hector I. Berrios made Memorial Day Monday a truly memorable one not only by piloting Thought Process to her first Gr. 1 win in the Gamely Stakes but it was also Berrios’s first win in the prestigious turf race for fillies and mares three-years-old and up.

The panel of racing experts voted Berrios Jockey of the Week for May 18-May 25.

Leading Santa Anita trainer Phil D’Amato gave a leg up to Berrios in the Gamely (G1) aboard the four-year-old Thought Process who was coming off a win in the Buena Vista Stakes (G2) in February.

Off as the favorite in the field of eight, Thought Process broke alertly and raced in second behind pacesetter Rashmi with Kazushi Kimura in the saddle. As the field approached the top of the stretch, Thought Process collared Rashmi to take the lead and win by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:47.51 for the mile and one-eighth turf test.

“Once I came up to the other filly (Rashmi), I asked her and she responded great,” Berrios said to Santa Anita publicity department.

Berrios is the regular jockey of the filly and has now ridden her in seven of her 10 career starts and six of her seven wins.

The 39-year-old Berrios is a native of Santiago, Chile where he won over 2500 races. He first came to the United States in 2011 but returned to Chile for the next seven years. Returning to the U.S. in 2018, he rode at Gulfstream Park until 2022 when the opportunity to try the southern California circuit of Santa Anita and Del Mar presented itself. Since then, he has gained a well-earned reputation as one of the top turf riders on the circuit.

Berrios won his first Breeders’ Cup race in 2025 at Del Mar aboard Super Corredora in the Juvenile Fillies (G1) for trainer John Sadler. He regularly finishes in the top 10 of the rider standings and is currently in sixth place at the Santa Anita meet.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Florent Geroux who won the Winning Colors (G3) at Churchill Downs, Geovanni Franco who won the Steve Sexton Mile (G3) at Lone Star, Juan Hernandez who recorded his 3000th North American career win at Santa Anita, Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won three stakes races at Lone Star and reigning Eclipse Award winner, Flavien Prat who won the Shoemaker Mile (G1) and the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2).

The Jockey of the Week honor recognizes jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys’ Guild. Founded in 1940, the Guild represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Statistics provided by: Equibase
Photo: Benoit Photo

05/27/2026

Edgard Zayas, Glint Unscathed After Scary Spill At Aqueduct

Jockey posted on social media that he escaped injury after being thrown from his mount

05/26/2026

Congratulations to Juan Hernandez who picked up his 3,000th victory aboard Syntax in the last race Sunday at Santa Anita Park!

05/22/2026

Churchill Downs Update: Rosado Finds New Home in Kentucky Riding Colony

The 27-year-old rider, represented by agent Ruben Munoz, rode two winners this winter at Oaklawn Park before relocating to Kentucky, where he has started picking up mounts at Churchill Downs.

05/20/2026

Jockey Paco Lopez does not often make the journey to Laurel Park to ride but a mount in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on Saturday was one of those exceptions and it proved to be a career highlight. With his first career classic race win, Lopez was voted Jockey of the Week for May 11-17 by the panel of racing experts.

On Saturday, trainer Chad Summers gave a leg up to Lopez aboard Napoleon Solo in the Preakness Stakes (G1). Lopez had previously ridden the gray c**t to a fifth place finish in the Wood Memorial (G2) in April at Aqueduct. Lopez was so confident Napoleon Solo could handle the added distance of the Preakness, he convinced the trainer and ownership to enter the c**t in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Napoleon Solo had also won the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old.

Off as the fourth betting choice and breaking from post position 10 in the field of 14, Napoleon Solo settled a length behind the leader and race favorite, Taj Mahal through three-quarters. On the far turn, Napoleon Solo began to gain on Taj Mahal and took the lead as the field turned for home. Iron Honor with Flavien Prat tried to make a race of it down the stretch but fell short as Napoleon Solo hit the wire in front by a length and a quarter in 1:58:69 for the mile and three-sixteenths.

“We had the perfect run,” said Lopez to Laurel publicity. “Chad had him ready. In the post parade, he started playing with the pony so we broke away but came back and he was very comfortable. He broke perfect and followed them around, there was a lot of speed in the race, and he was patient until it was time to move. My first (Triple Crown) win. It is so exciting.”

Not one to miss a mount, Lopez came right back in the next and final race of the day to win the nightcap for trainer Kelly Breen.

Lopez has his sights set on winning the Haskell (G1) with Napoleon Solo on July 18, the next scheduled start for the Preakness winner. The Haskell is one of the few stakes races at Monmouth that Lopez has yet to win. He has dominated the standings at Monmouth and his seeking his thirteenth riding title and eighth straight at the Jersey Shore.

A native of Vera Cruz, Mexico, Lopez, 40, has been riding in the United Stakes since 2007 and won the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice in 2008. He won his 4,000th career race on October 6, 2024 at Keeneland.

This time of year, Lopez will ride every day, if possible, at tracks within close proximity of his base of Monmouth Park. This week he so far has mounts at Parx then Delaware Park.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Tyler Gaffalione with two graded stakes wins including the Black Eyed Susan (G2) and the Maryland Sprint (G3), Yedsit Hazlewood who won a stakes race at Laurel, Brian Hernandez, Jr. with a graded stakes win at Churchill Downs and Irad Ortiz, Jr. with two stakes wins at Laurel and five consecutive wins at Churchill Downs on Sunday.

Statistics provided by: Equibase
Photo: Bill Denver/Equi-Photo

05/18/2026

Irad Ortiz Rides Five Straight Winners At Churchill Downs

This isn’t the jockey’s first big winning streak, as he rode seven consecutive winners at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 3, 2023

05/18/2026

Congratulations Paco Lopez!

"We've had everything go wrong his 3-year-old year, and we just kind of stayed the course," trainer Chad Summers said.