Hall of Fame Not Last Stop for Jockey Velasquez
Jockey Jorge Velasquez is on his way to racing’s Hall of Fame, but that’s not necessarily his last stop in a long and memorable career.
“I want to hit 7,000 winners,” said the jockey, who is still riding successfully at age 43.
Velasquez, the fourth-leading winner in racing history with 6,155, was named to the Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
Velasquez will be inducted during Aug. 9 ceremonies at the Saratoga Springs National Museum of Racing.
“I was naturally happy to receive this piece of most wonderful news,” Velasquez said. “It’s what every rider looks forward to when you’re involved in racing. First you want to win a Kentucky Derby, then a Triple Crown, and then make the Hall of Fame.”
Velasquez began his career in the United States in 1965, when owner Fred Hooper brought him to the New Jersey tracks after Velasquez had set records as an apprentice in his native Panama.
He won the 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness with Pleasant Colony and set a record in 1985 with the most stakes victories in a year--57.
Last year, Velasquez’s career was rejuvenated when he left New York to compete at Arlington Park. He’ll return there this summer.
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