John Velazquez

With two weeks remaining until the $30.5-million Dubai World Cup meeting at Meydan Racecourse, riding assignments for the American raiders are coming into focus. Perhaps the best chance for U.S. victory on the program, champion and recent G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint hero Straight No Chaser (Speightster) will look for more desert riches in the G1 Dubai Golden Shaheen with his regular rider John Velazquez back in the irons. The veteran reinsman's agent Kiaran McLaughlin also confirmed that Velazquez has the call aboard Il Miracolo (Gun Runner) for trainer Antonio Sano...

My Racehorse's newly crowned Eclipse champion sprinter Straight No Chaser (Speightster) breezed five furlongs in :59 flat (3/98) over the Santa Anita main track Sunday morning and is set to board the first of two flights Tuesday which will carry him to Saudi Arabia for the $2-million G2 Riyadh Dirt Sprint (1200m) on Feb. 22. Hall of Famer John Velazquez has the return call. "We gave him a little company just to kind of get him to relax and settle off a horse and he did it really nicely and...

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez and his wife Leona will be honored with the newly renamed John Hendrickson and Marylou Whitney Award by the New York Race Track Chaplaincy (NYRTC). The award recognizes the couple for their longstanding support of the New York backstretch community and will be presented at NYRTC's 18th Annual Fundraising Brunch to be held Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025, at Saratoga National Golf Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. "Johnny and Leona have demonstrated a deep commitment to the backstretch community and they continue to set...

John Velazquez and Mike Smith were elected co-chairmen of The Jockeys' Guild when the organization hosted its annual assembly virtually Jan. 14. Javier Castellano, Julien Leparoux and James Flores were elected co-vice chairmen, Tyler Gaffalione as secretary and Julien Leparoux as treasurer. In addition, Joe Bravo, Drayden Van Dyke, James Graham and Rodney Prescott will serve on the Board of Directors. Senate members for the guild in 2025-2026 are: Eastern region: Joe Bravo, Kendrick Carmouche, Javier Castellano, Frankie Dettori, Reylu Gutierrez, Flavien Prat, Sheldon Russell, Drayden Van Dyke and John...

Recently-crowned Longines World's Best Jockey James McDonald has been confirmed in the line-up for the 2025 International Jockeys' Challenge (IJC) at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh on Friday, February 21. It will mark the first time the globetrotting New Zealander, who has ridden 106 Group 1 winners in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Britain and Japan, has competed in Saudi Arabia. McDonald's participation in the IJC will also give him valuable experience of the Riyadh track, the day before bidding for glory aboard Hong Kong champion Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation...

7th-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 1-11, 3yo, 1m, 1:36.83, ft, 2 1/2 lengths. GRANDE (c, 3, Curlin--Journey Home {GSW, $225,997}, by War Front) was off at a modest 9-1 in the face of Camp Hale (Mo Town), who was crunched into 1-2 favoritism on the back of a pair of big-figure runner-up efforts, including to 'TDN Rising Star' and recent Mucho Macho Man Stakes winner Guns Loaded (Gun Runner) when last seen over six furlongs at Churchill Downs back on Nov. 16. Given a positive ride from John Velazquez from the inside...

Vanderbilt (Into Mischief) took the lion's share of the pari-mutuel action in Saturday's fourth race from Gulfstream Park and jumped as the 4-5 chalk, but New York-bred River Thames (c, 3, Maclean's Music--Proportionality, by Discreet Cat) proved the fly in the ointment, turning in a flawless debut performance to be named the newest 'TDN Rising Star' The clearest betting alternative to Vanderbilt at odds of 29-10, the $200,000 Fasig-Tipton NY-Bred Sale graduate was under a busy ride early from John Velazquez, but had gained a forward position three-wide from third...

Runner-up in the grassy Tepin Stakes when last seen at Aqueduct Nov. 17, Gatsas Stables' Five G ran away from her overmatched rivals to easily take out Wednesday's Fasig-Tipton Cash Run Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Let go at better than 5-1 returning to the main track for the first time since finishing unplaced behind the talented MSW 'TDN Rising Star' With the Angels (Omaha Beach) at Saratoga last summer, the homebred filly bounced away well enough from the inside gate beneath John Velazquez and railed through to contest the early...

A victory in the GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup can lead even the most disciplined connections to call an audible, deviating from a more conservative approach in favor of a start in a race as alluring as the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf just weeks later. But trainer Cherie DeVaux and the Lael Stables of Roy and Gretchen stuck to their guns and sent the enormously talented She Feels Pretty (Karakontie {Jpn}) to California for the American Oaks, another chance at age-restricted Grade I glory while putting...

by J.N. Campbell and Alan Carasso Champion 2-year-old colt and leading sire Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie--Playa Maya, by Arch) was euthanized at Ashford Stud on Thursday morning after suffering a left foreleg injury, according to a tweet by Mike Repole on X and post on the Coolmore America website. Surgery was performed on Wednesday. He was 16-years-old. "I am devastated and saddened to share with you that Uncle Mo was euthanized earlier today following a left foreleg injury," said Repole. "He had surgery yesterday. Unfortunately, this morning the recovery process...

Fitriani Hay's Clock Tower (Not This Time), the 4-5 favorite, glided up and over from his outside post to take the early lead and never looked back in a wire-to-wire victory in the GIII Cecil B. DeMille Stakes at Del Mar Sunday. The dark bay gelding was in control through an opening quarter in :23.62 and was under a strong hold while getting a breather down the backstretch as the half went up in :48.75. Second choice Scipio (Caravaggio) made eye-catching progress on the turn and loomed a threat while...

GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner 'TDN Rising Star' Sierra Leone (Gun Runner) has come out of the marquee race in good order, according to Chad Brown, and will return to Kentucky Monday morning. "Everything's all good," said assistant trainer Baldo Hernandez Sunday morning after showing the horse to the media. "He will ship tomorrow to Kentucky and maybe Florida after that. I don't know for sure, it's up to the boss." The connections are expected to announce future plans for the colt soon. Sean Flanagan of Flanagan Racing confirmed that...