Kentucky Derby Jockeys

There are many different factors to consider when deciding which horses to wager on for the 2013 Kentucky Derby. The one I will focus on in this article is the jockey. I am going to go over the top jockeys in the field and list each horse they are riding, along with a brief history of their success.

While a jockey is rarely known for actually winning a race for a horse, he can certainly be blamed for losing it.  How a jockey navigates traffic is essential to making sure to get the most out of a horse.  That was never more evident than when Calvin Borel skimmed the rail en route to riding longshot Mine That Bird to a Derby win in 2009.

Eddie Arcaro and Bill Hartack hold the record for most Kentucky Derby victories with five each.  Willie Shoemaker is the only four-time Derby winner.  He has rode in the Derby 26 times, which is more than any other jockey.  Shoemaker is also the oldest jockey to win the Derby at age 54 aboard Ferdinand in 1986.  Here is a look at the top jockeys in the 2013 Kentucky Derby.

Calvin Borel (Revolutionary)

Easily the most recognizable jockey in the 2013 Derby, Borel is known for perfecting the ride along the rail en route to victory. He won his first Kentucky Derby in 2007 on Street Sense, and followed that up two years later with his rail-skimming ride aboard Mine That Bird. Borel would win the Derby again in 2010 on Super Saver to become the only three-time winner in this field. Also to his credit, he won the 2009 Kentucky Oaks and Preakness Stakes on Rachel Alexandra. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2013.

John Velazquez (Verrazano)

Has ridden in the Kentucky Derby a whopping 13 times while winning in 2011 aboard Animal Kingdom. Velazquez won the 2004 Kentucky Oaks with Ashado, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. The two-time Eclipse Award winner for outstanding jockey chose Verrazano over Orb, which has many believing that this is the better horse.

Joel Rosario (Orb)

He made his first appearance at the Kentucky Derby in 2010 aboard Make Music for Me with a fourth place finish. Rosario won his first Breeders’ Cup race in 2009 with Dancing in Silks. He also rode Animal Kingdom to a win at the Dubai World Cup. Rosario set a Keeneland spring-meeting record with 38 winning rides in 2013.

Kevin Krigger (Goldencents)

He is trying to become the first African-American jockey ever to win the Kentucky Derby. Krigger jumped on his first horse at the age of 5, and he began riding officially at age 10. He has made his mark at Golden Gate Fields and Emerald Down, and he’s now a regular on the Southern California racing circuit.

Julien Leparoux (Java’s War)

Like Velazquez, Leparoux is a two-time Eclipse Award winner for most outstanding jockey. He won the Shoemaker award in 2009 which recognized his three Breeder’s Cup wins that year. He has five Breeder’s Cup wins in his career and is clearly one of the top jockeys in the field.

Rafael Bejarano (Overanalyze)

Came to the United State s in 2002 and won his first race in July that same year. Bejarano has won riding titles at all major tracks in California and Kentucky. His most notable win came in the 2010 Kentucky Oaks aboard Blind Luck. Bejarano was also a regular rider for Breeders Cup winners Intercontinental and Ginger Punch.

About the Author: Jack Jones has been ranked in the Top-5 on the Overall Leaderboard for almost all of 2012 here at Betfirms. He has climbed as high as No. 2 while competing against roughly 80 of the best handicappers in the world. He finished as the No. 6 Ranked Basketball Handicapper from 2011-12, which combines pro and college hoops. His $1,000/game basketball players cashed in $22,310 last season. Head on over to Jack's premium pick page to see what he has in store for tonight!