The Breeders’ Cup meeting in 2022, set against the stunning background of Del Mar, Southern California, will feature over 14 races with over $31 million in prize money distributed over two days beginning November 4, 2022.
In significant horse racing competitions like the Breeders’ Cup, bettors would research a thoroughbred’s racing feats and history, believing that this knowledge would be sufficient to put a winning wager. This time, we will focus less on the horse and more on the jockeys, responsible for 10% of a horse’s performance on the track.
While a jockey can’t do much with a weak horse, he can help a great horse win. To help you decide where to place your bet, look over our list of the best jockeys competing in the Breeders’ Cup 2022.
Irad Ortiz Jr.
Since 2012, Irad Ortiz Jr., a jockey from Puerto Rico, has become one of the top riders in the New York Thoroughbred racing circuit. During the 2014 Breeders’ Cup, he rode Lady Eli to victory, and in 2016, he won the Belmont Stakes aboard Creator, his first American Classic victory. This year he rode Mo Donegal to victory in the Belmont Stakes.
In the Breeders Cup 2022, he will ride Goodnight Olive in the Filly, and Mare Sprint, Count Again in the Mile, and Life is Good in the Classic.
Joel Rosario
Joel Rosario was the Dominican Republic’s four-time top rider before going to California. In 2007, he spent most of his time riding in Northern California after arriving in the United States in 2006.
Rosario won the Eclipse Award for the first time as the year’s top jockey in 2021, thanks to a career-best year in which he bankrolled over $35 million in worldwide earnings. This year he’ll ride Clairiere in the Distaff race and Gufo in the Turf race at the Breeders’ Cup.
Florent Geroux
As a jockey, Florent Geroux has won over 1,700 races on American thoroughbred horses, including the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic on Gun Runner, the two Breeders’ Cup Distaff races on Monomoy Girl, and the 2021 Kentucky Derby on Mandaloun.
His French-born father, Dominique, rode horses and then trained them. With his father’s influence, Geroux was accepted to the prestigious French riding academy Afasec when he was 13 years old. After moving to France, he began his riding career as a star apprentice.
In the Breeders’ Cup Classic for a $6 million purse, he will be on Cyberknife.
Ryan Moore
Based in the UK, Ryan Moore has been to North America and won some of the continent’s most prestigious races. Moore rode the champion horse Conduit to victories in the Breeders’ Cup Turf in 2008 and 2009, as well as the winners Wrote (2011) and George Vancouver (2012) in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf.
In the Juvenile Turf Sprint at the Breeders’ Cup 2022, he’ll be atop Blackbeard.
Flavien Prat
Flavien Prat comes from a family of trainers. He’s ridden in the USA, Canada, France, Italy, and Germany. In 2009, Prat started making occasional winter trips to Southern California to hang out, and then he would return home. In 2015, Prat competed in North America for the first time, and that summer, he placed second overall at the Del Mar Summer Meet. Prat rode Wild Dude to victory that year in the Grade 1 Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on September 4, marking his first-ever four-win day.
As he competes in the 2022 Breeders’ Cup, he’ll be astride the bay colt Flightline, who’s currently dominating the 2022 breeders cup classic odds, along with Life is Good.
Junior Alvarado
Junior Alvarado began his racing career in the United States in 2007 in South Florida. He considered heading back to Venezuela but ultimately followed the advice of his trainer, Moises Yanez, and set sail for Chicago, where he found great success.
The Jockey Club Gold Cup Preservationist winners, the Belmont Derby Gufo, and the Carter Handicap Speaker were among his best horses. At the 2022 Breeders’ Cup, he will be aboard Olympiad.
John R. Velazquez
Originally from Puerto Rico, Velazquez moved to the United States in 1990 and has since risen to the top ranks of professional jockeys. He has won the Eclipse Award for best jockey twice and is fourth all-time with $262 million in earnings. He was nominated to the Racing Hall of Fame in 2011 and was eventually inducted the following year.
For the Breeders’ Cup 2022, he will be atop the Tonalist colt, Country Grammer.
Mike Smith
Mike Smith was born on August 10, 1965, in Roswell, New Mexico. At age 11, Smith started competing in New Mexico horse races. His first victory came with Forever Man at Santa Fe, New Mexico, shortly after he became a licensed jockey in 1982 at 16 years old.
For the Breeders’ Cup 2022, he will be on Hot Rod Charlie, who won the Secretariat Vox Populi Award in 2021.
