John Velazquez

The New York jockey colony refused to ride after Sunday's first race at Aqueduct because of a number of recent problems they have said they were having with NYRA management. The latest incident occurred around the time of the first race when the jockeys learned that NYRA Assistant Clerk of Scales Brian Pochman was told to leave work and go home after he balked at additional duties that NYRA had asked him to do. Pochman was not fired. "I have never seen such disrespect to a jockey colony and the...

DEL MAR, Calif. - Hopefully they don't make a typo on his Eclipse trophy. Spendthrift Farm's Ted Noffey (Into Mischief), a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard,' completed his championship season a perfect four-for-four with a one-length decision in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Del Mar. Longshot Mr. A. P. (American Pharoah) rallied to grab second from 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Brant (Gun Runner). Ted Noffey is the 16th Breeders' Cup winner for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and his fifth in the Juvenile. "What I...

The 2025 Fall Meet wrapped Saturday with a season-record of $217-million in all-sources wagering, Keeneland announced via press release. Propelled by record purse money and overall good weather for the duration of the meeting, the 17 days of racing totaled $217,266,759 on the season--surpassing the previous record of $210,165,945 set last year for the 2024 Fall Meet. It was a 3.38% increase. Average daily purses of $1,341,107 also set a Keeneland record and races averaged 9.2 starters per card. Opening Fall Stars Weekend (excluding whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland) generated $48.9-million...

Well supported for his stakes debut, Schwarzenegger (Not This Time) went to the front and stayed there, holding on to win by a half-length over TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard, Obliteration (Violence). Sprinting through a quarter mile in a crisp :21.17, the bay was clear turning for home and dug in late as a trio of runners came up to his haunches but were unable to get by the 2-1 favorite at the wire. Obliteration was a neck in front of Rogue Legend (GB) (Havana Grey {GB}) and it...

Stop me if you've heard this one before but trainer Wesley Ward debuted a speedy new youngster at Keeneland Saturday as Heartily (Complexity) romped to become a new 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' in the nightcap. The 4-5 favorite faced a field of largely inexperienced runners who saw little but this OBS April grad's heels as he rocketed out to lead from an inside draw under John Velazquez. The only rival to keep pace early was Telecaster (Kantharos) as this group got strung out in dramatic fashion into the...

Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Praying (f, 3, Vekoma--Pray for Leslie, by Bernardini), a 21-1 upset winner of the GIII Prioress S. at Saratoga Aug. 30, backed up that breakout performance with a half-length victory over her elders in Saturday's 'Win and You're In' GII Thoroughbred Club of America S. at Keeneland. Favored Vahva (Gun Runner) was second. Zeitlos (Curlin) was third. "It's surreal," winning trainer Robbie Medina said. "There's nothing like winning a big stakes at Keeneland. It's great." Praying raced in an outside fifth beneath John Velazquez and made...

3rd-Keeneland, $116,490, Alw, 10-4, (NW2L), 2yo, 6f, 1:11.26, ft, 2 lengths. OUTFIELDER (c, 2, Speightstown--Notte d'Oro {SW-USA, SP-Can, $242,482}, by Medaglia d'Oro) became a 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' at Churchill Downs back in May with an easy 6 1/4-length win on the grass for Wesley Ward. A next planned start at Royal Ascot was punted when he came down with a minor shin issue but Ward was still able to ship the young colt to France where he wound up fourth beaten 2 3/4 lengths in the G1...

Friday's GII Beldame Stakes, scratched down to just four horses with the morning diversion of Majestic Oops (Majestic Harbor) to Sunday's GIII Delaware Handicap, still had plenty of drama as 9-2 shot Gun Song (Gun Runner) sprung the upset on heavily-favored Randomized (Nyquist) to break a winless streak that dated back over a year. Mark Hennig's 4-year-old filly has been plenty game and plenty consistent facing the best of her division the past two years, even running reigning Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna) to the wire just...

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) and Jockeys' Guild, in partnership with the Congressional Mental Health Caucus, co-hosted a mental health roundtable on Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the U.S. Capitol. The event brought together jockeys and professional athletes from women's soccer and football to share their personal experiences and highlight both the common and unique mental health challenges they face. "We are committed to keeping the dialogue going on mental health challenges for professional jockeys," said HISA CEO Lisa Lazarus. "The more we talk about it, the more jockeys...

After lengthy negotiations, the Jockeys' Guild of America and the Thoroughbred Racing Association of Oklahoma have agreed to the terms in the form of a 3-year agreement, which includes a minimum losing mount fee of $100, a fourth-place incentive and all riders will pay the per mount HISA fee, the guild said in a Thursday press release. Set to expire on Dec. 31, 2028, the parties plan to immediately seek approval from the Oklahoma Horse Racing Commission. The release went on to say that "extensive conversations with the Remington Park...

Parchment Party (Constitution) is poised to become the first American-trained runner in the G1 Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday, November 4, with Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez again booked to ride after partnering the 'TDN Rising Star' to a wide-margin victory in June's GII Belmont Gold Cup Stakes. The Bill Mott-trained Parchment Party was one of 120 nominations for the Melbourne Cup published on Tuesday, with his emphatic win at Saratoga earning him an automatic spot in 'the race that stops a nation'. Leigh Jordon, executive general...

On paper, it appeared to be the battle of the 'TDN Rising Star's in Saratoga's closing day feature, the GI Hopeful Stakes. Come race day, it appeared to be more of a procession as Spendthrift Farm's Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) made it look like his rivals were tied to a post as he rolled home a commanding 8 1/2-length winner in only his second lifetime start for trainer Todd Pletcher, who was winning his fourth Hopeful. Smooth as silk out of the gate, Ted Noffey, sent off the 7-2 third...