Stevens Becomes Youngest to Reach $100-Million Mark

Gary Stevens knew all last week that he was closing in on $100 million in career purses, a level reached by only seven other jockeys.

“Then when my wife (Toni) showed up with our (four) kids in ties, I knew I must have been getting pretty close,” Stevens said Sunday, minutes after his 3 1/2-length victory aboard Don’t Presume put him over.

Stevens, who turned 30 on March 6, is the youngest jockey to reach $100 million. The previous youngest was Chris McCarron, who was 33 when he did it at Del Mar in 1988. McCarron was on hand Sunday to congratulate Stevens in the winner’s circle, along with Laffit Pincay and Eddie Delahoussaye, other active jockeys who are also above $100 million.

“When you see yourself with jockeys like this, you know you’re in an elite group,” said Stevens, who won two other races on the program to push his victory total to 3,311.

This is the list of $100-million jockeys, with approximate totals:

Pincay, $172 million.

Angel Cordero, $165 million.

McCarron, $160 million.

Pat Day, $131 million.

Delahoussaye, $124 million.

Bill Shoemaker, $123 million.

Jorge Velasquez, $121 million.

Stevens, $100 million.

All are still active except Cordero and Shoemaker, who now train horses. Shoemaker was the first jockey to reach $100 million, with his victory aboard Lord At War in the Santa Anita Handicap in 1985.

“I’ve been lucky because of all the big purses we have to shoot at now,” Stevens said. “If I had been riding when Shoe first got started, I’d probably be still working at (reaching $100 million). This ranks right up there with anything that I’ve accomplished.”

Stevens made his riding debut in his native Idaho, winning his first race with his first mount at Les Bois Park on April 21, 1979.