Kentucky Derby 2025: Meet the jockeys in Saturday’s classic

Six previous winners and five new faces are among the 20 jockeys with mounts in Kentucky Derby 2025 on Saturday at Churchill Downs.

John Velazquez's mount Grande may cede experience to his foes, but Velazquez's own riding experience is beyond reproach. The hall of fame rider has ridden in the Kentucky Derby 26 times, tied with Bill Shoemaker for the second most in history, and his three wins lead the field.

Mike Smith, whose 28 mounts make him the most experienced Kentucky Derby jockey in history, returns to the fray with Rodriguez. His two Kentucky Derby wins make him the only other multiple Kentucky Derby winner in the field.

In addiiton to Velazquez and Smith, other hall of fame jockeys in the 2025 edition of the Kentucky Derby include Javier Castellano and Joel Rosario. Castellano won the Kentucky Derby in 2023 with Mage, while Rosario guided Orb to the blanket of roses in 2013.

On the other side of the experience coin, five riders are slated to make their Kentucky Derby debut: Nik Juarez, Luan Machado, Joao Moreira, Joe Ramos and Juan Vargas. First-time Kentucky Derby riders have won the race five times, most recently in 2022 when Sonny León shocked the world to the tune of 80-1 odds with Rich Strike.

* Flavien Prat is named on both Baeza and Neoequos. Baeza, if he draws in, is his first choice.

Júnior Alvarado – Sovereignty

Alvarado’s best Derby was a fourth-place finish with Mohaymen in 2016.  Last year, he was sixth on Resilience. Junior Alvarado rode Sovereignty for his first four starts, with two wins in graded stakes, before Manny Franco finished second with him in the Florida Derby.

Javier Castellano – Owen Almighty

It took him 16 tries, but Castellano won his first Derby in 2023 with Mage. He also hit the board in 2018 with Audible in third. The Kentucky Derby will be his first mount on Owen Almighty.

Manny Franco – East Avenue

Franco’s best showing was second with Tiz the Law in 2020. In his most recent Derby, he was fifth with Hit Show in 2023. The Kentucky Derby will be his first start on East Avenue.

Martin Garcia – Citizen Bull

Garcia’s best Derby showing was also his most recent, a third-place finish on Dortmund in 2015. Garcia has ridden Citizen Bull for five of his six career starts, including all of his wins and his fourth-place finish in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).

Brian Hernandez Jr. – Burnham Square

Hernandez’s only Derby victory was last year with Mystik Dan for trainer Kenny McPeek. He also became the eighth jockey to get the Kentucky Oaks-Derby double after winning the lilies with Thorpedo Anna. Hernandez rode Burnham Square for the first time in winning the Blue Grass (G1). Hernandez rode for Burnham Square's trainer Ian Wilkes once before in the Kentucky Derby, guiding McCraken to an eighth-place finish in 2017.

Nik Juarez – American Promise

This will be the Derby debut for Juarez, whose highest-level wins so far have come at the Grade 2 level with Actress in the 2017 Black-Eyed Susan (G2) and Projected in the 2017 Baltimore-Washington International Turf Cup (G2). His win with American Promise in the Virginia Derby was his first start on the colt.

Christophe Lemaire – Admire Daytona

Lemaire is a mainstay in Japan, and both of his previous Derby mounts have been based there. He finished sixth with Derma Sotogake in 2013 and 13th with Crown Pride in 2022. He has ridden Admire Daytona in four of his six starts, including his last out-win in the UAE Derby (G2).

Julien Leparoux – Render Judgment

Leparoux has ridden in 14 editions of the Kentucky Derby but has yet to hit the board in the run for the roses. His best Kentucky Derby result came with Classic Empire, who placed fourth behind Always Dreaming in 2017. This will be Leparoux's first time riding Render Judgment for trainer Kenny McPeek, who won the Kentucky Derby last year with Mystik Dan.

Jareth Loveberry – Chunk of Gold

Loveberry’s only Derby appearance was in 2023 with Two Phil’s, who finished second to Mage after getting caught in the stretch. He’s been aboard Chunk of Gold for his last two starts, which were second-place finishes in the Risen Star (G2) and Louisiana Derby.

Luan Machado – Final Gambit

This will be the Derby debut for Machado. He has ridden Final Gambit in his last three starts, including his maiden win and his victory in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3).

Joao Moreira – Luxor Cafe

Moreira has ridden around the world, but this will be his first Kentucky Derby. He won the Fukuryu Stakes in Japan with Luxor Cafe. His only start with Luxor Cafe was his last-out win in the Fukuryu.

Irad Ortiz Jr. – Publisher

Ortiz has ridden in the Kentucky Derby eight times, with his best finish being a fourth-place with favored Improbable in 2019. Last year, he was on Domestic Product in 13th. The Kentucky Derby will be his first start with Publisher.

José Ortiz – Sandman

Ortiz’s best Derby result was a second-place finish on Good Magic in 2018, 2 1/2 lengths behind Justify. Last year, he was 19th with Catalytic. Ortiz has ridden Sandman three times, including his last-out win in the Arkansas Derby (G1) and twice as a juvenile at Churchill Downs.

Flavien Prat – Baeza, Neoequos

Prat’s best Kentucky Derby effort was when he crossed the wire second with Country House in 2019, which later became a win with Maximum Security’s disqualification. He was third across the line in the 2021 Derby with Hot Rod Charlie but was promoted to second when Medina Spirit’s win was disallowed. Across his seven Kentucky Derby mounts he has only finished out of the superfecta once. Whether Baeza draws in or he ends up riding Neoequos after all, the Kentucky Derby will be his first start on his mount.

Joe Ramos – Flying Mohawk

This will be the Derby debut for Ramos, who has been riding since 2019. He rode Flying Mohawk in his most recent start, a second-place effort in the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) at Turfway. His first-ever graded-stakes victory came on the same day with Mercante in the Kentucky Cup Classic (G3).

Umberto Rispoli – Journalism

Rispoli was ninth with Endlessly last year and 14th with Brooklyn Strong in 2021. Rispoli has ridden Journalism in his last three starts, all graded-stakes wins.

Joel Rosario – Tiztastic

Rosario won the 2013 Derby on Orb and was second with Epicenter in 2022, when Rich Strike surprised him late. Last year, he was 11th with Track Phantom. Rosario has ridden Tiztastic once, when they won the Louisiana Derby (G2).

Mike Smith – Rodriguez

Smith has ridden in the Kentucky Derby 28 times, the most of any jockey in history, hitting the board in seven of those starts. He won the Derby in 2018 with Justify on the way to the Triple Crown for trainer Bob Baffert, who also trained Rodriguez. He also won with 50-1 long shot Giacomo in 2005. Smith’s only start with Rodriguez was in his Wood Memorial (G2) win.

Juan Vargas – Coal Battle

This will be the Derby debut for Vargas, who has been riding since 2008 and won four graded stakes in that time. However, his win in the Rebel Stakes (G2) with Coal Battle was his first in over a decade, since the 2014 Fair Grounds Handicap (G2) with Potomac River. Vargas has ridden Coal Battle for all but one of his eight career starts, including his four wins before he finished third in the Arkansas Derby.

John Velazquez – Grande

Velazquez has had more Derby mounts than anyone in this year’s race except for Mike Smith, and is a joint second all-time behind Smith and tied with Bill Shoemaker. He also has the most wins of anyone in the 2025 field: with Authentic in 2020, Always Dreaming in 2017 and Animal Kingdom in 2011. Last year, he was 15th with Fierceness.

Velazquez rode Grande to wins in his first two starts, both wins, before Dylan Davis rode him to a second-place finish in the Wood Memorial.