apprentice jockey

Pietro Moran has been named the Eclipse Award winner for best Apprentice Jockey. After launching his career in Canada in 2023, the 20-year old was named a Sovereign Award finalist for Apprentice Jockey in 2024. His 2025 campaign included wins aboard Mansetti (Collected) in the King's Plate, becoming the third youngest jockey in history to win the race. He finished the year with a record of 863-140-117-139 and earnings of $6,083,835 and a winning percentage of 16%.

Edited Press Release Apprentice jockey Xarel Forde has begun to make his presence felt at Turfway Park this winter, continuing his transition to the Kentucky circuit after building skills both in his native Barbados and last year at Woodbine. Forde, 21, learned his trade riding at Garrison Savannah, a small track that he said helped shape his race awareness and decision-making before his move to larger circuits. "Coming from a small track with tight turns teaches you to be sharp," Forde said. "You have to think quickly and stay aware....

On this week's TDN Writers' Room, 20-year-old apprentice jockey Pietro Moran relives his first King's Plate victory aboard Mansetti.

TORONTO - He is young, just 20, has been riding for only two full years and still has his five-pound apprentice allowance. But don't expect Pietro Moran to be intimidated when he climbs aboard Mansetti (Collected) in Saturday's $1-million King's Plate at Woodbine. It's nothing new to him. Though he's not allowed an apprentice allowance in stakes races, he's ridden in 30 so far this year. On Saturday's card, there are six stakes. Moran has mounts in four of them. "I definitely have a lot of confidence in him," said...

Francisco Martinez, featured in TDN last year when he got his first win at age 30, has returned to riding--and the winner's circle--after spending three months on the sidelines due to injuries sustained in a Feb. 5 spill. He was the leading apprentice rider at Parx in 2024 after kicking off his career in March of last year. "It means a lot to me and my people that follow me and support what I do to get the opportunity to come back like this," said Martinez. "I couldn't wait to...

Apprentice jockey Kylie Wellington, who suffered a displaced tibial fracture Thursday at Fair Grounds after being unseated when her mount flipped over, confirmed her prognosis over social media. "As many heard, I had a horse flip on me behind the gates before a race today [Feb. 29]. I have a displaced tibia fracture. It's very unfortunate but I will recover and be back soon. Thanks everyone." In 2024, Wellington had amassed a record of two wins and 21 on-the-board finishes overall from 68 jumps. She'd visited the winner's enclosure on...

Eighteen-year-old jockey Axel Concepcion, who is Maryland's top apprentice this year, has been suspended 30 days for "extremely careless" riding in a Sept. 21 race at Delaware Park that resulted in the euthanization of a rival horse that had fallen. The Sept. 28 Delaware stewards' ruling stated that Concepcion failed "to control and guide his mount, Backwoods Boogie (Red Rocks [IRE]), leaving the starting gate, impeding several horses, and causing the horse Trumpence (Eskendereya) to fall, which resulted in a fatal injury to Trumpence. Due to the fallen horse, the...

They're calling him Billy The Kid. He only got his licence in October but when he left the all-weather circuit last month, for a three-week stint in Florida, he was Britain's leading jockey with 23 wins from 98 mounts in January. And, for another week anyway, he's just 16 years old. It's so extraordinary that Billy Loughnane has even been featured on the evening news by the BBC, a gratifying departure from the indifference of mainstream media to all but the least flattering tales of the Turf. On the face...

Cauthen, Ouzts, Bourque, Parker, Migliore, Delahoussaye and Baze all have one thing in common--perhaps several, if we are splitting hairs. They all started from the ground up: mucking stalls, grooming, walking hots. All too often nowadays, young upstarts are appearing and eschewing the shank for the helmet, goggles and jock's license, which is why it's so refreshing to spend some time with apprentice Diego Herrera who, at just 17, is wise beyond his years. Herrera is currently eighth in the jockey standings at the Santa Anita meet with six winners....

From a very young age, she wanted to be a jockey, maybe even one who someday got to ride in the GI Kentucky Derby. After all, she loved horses and both of her parents were exercise riders. Then there's her name. Derbe Glass is a 23-year-old 10-pound apprentice riding this meet at Monmouth, where she is trying to make a name for herself (pun intended). "I want to improve every day, get stronger, get smarter and learn the art of race riding," Glass said. "Hopefully, we will do well." Actually,...

Benoit de la Sayett has returned a positive test for cocaine, the Professional Jockeys Association announced on Tuesday morning. The British Horseracing Authority has subsequently suspended De La Sayette until the end of the disciplinary process. The 18-year-old apprentice jockey to John and Thady Gosden was shown in a video on social media in late March allegedly in the presence of the drug at a party after winning the Unibet Lincoln H. at Doncaster aboard Haqeeqy (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) on Mar. 27. At that time, the PJA defended...

Continuing the influx of Puerto Rican jockeys transferring their skills adroitly to racing in the mainland U.S., Alexander Crispin made a name for himself on the mid-Atlantic circuit in 2020. The 22-year-old, who studied at the famed Escuela Vocacional Hipica Agustin Mercado Reveron jockey school that produced John Velazquez, both Ortiz brothers, Manny Franco and myriad other successful Puerto Rican riders, Crispin first landed at Turfway Park in March and bounced around to Belterra Park and Indiana Grand before settling in the mid-Atlantic at Delaware Park in the summer. That's...