Rosario leads all jockeys in 2021 with 49 graded-stakes wins

Joel Rosario was at the top of his game in 2021, especially in some of racing’s biggest events.

Rosario earned 49 graded-stakes wins last season, the most among North American jockeys. A front-running Breeders’ Cup Classic score aboard Knicks Go highlighted a banner year for the veteran jockey.

Listed below are the top 10 jockeys from 2021 in terms of graded-stakes wins. Such victories earned on the Dubai World Cup or Saudi Cup cards counted toward these totals.

1. Joel Rosario, 49

Grade 1 wins: Breeders’ Cup Classic, Del Mar, Knicks Go; Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, Del Mar, Echo Zulu; Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes, Gulfstream Park, Knicks Go; Whitney Stakes, Saratoga, Knicks Go; Sword Dancer Stakes, Saratoga, Gufo; H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes, Saratoga, Jackie’s Warrior; Santa Anita Handicap, Santa Anita, Idol; Ashland Stakes, Keeneland, Malathaat; Madison Stakes, Keeneland, Kimari

Rosario led North American jockeys not only in graded stakes wins but also in earnings, collecting $35.21 million. Of his 49 graded victories, 35 came on the dirt, including both of his Breeders’ Cup wins. Rosario was aboard likely Horse of the Year Knicks Go for each of his five graded-stakes victories last season and gets to pilot him one more time this month in the Pegasus World Cup (G1).

2. Flavien Prat, 45

Grade 1 wins: Preakness Stakes, Pimlico, Rombauer; Turf Classic Stakes, Churchill Downs, Domestic Spending; Pennsylvania Derby, Parx, Hot Rod Charlie; Manhattan Stakes, Belmont Park, Domestic Spending; United Nations Stakes, Monmouth Park, Tribhuvan; Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes, Keeneland, Shantisara; First Lady Stakes, Keeneland, Blowout; Malibu Stakes, Santa Anita, Flightline; Del Mar Debutante Stakes, Del Mar, Grace Adler; Hollywood Gold Cup Stakes, Santa Anita; Country Grammer; Bing Crosby Stakes, Del Mar, Dr Schivel; Del Mar Oaks, Del Mar, Going Global

Prat, winner of the 2019 Kentucky Derby aboard Country House, is now two-thirds of the way toward completing a career Triple Crown thanks to his Preakness score. He dominated the California circuit but also won Grade 1 events in Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Prat posted 21 graded stakes wins on turf in 2021, eight more than second-place Irad Ortiz Jr.’s 13.

3. Irad Ortiz Jr., 36

Grade 1 wins: Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint, Del Mar, Golden Pal; Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, Del Mar, Life Is Good; Apple Blossom Handicap, Oaklawn Park, Letruska; Turf Classic Stakes, Churchill Downs, Colonel Liam; Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes, Gulfstream Park, Colonel Liam; Florida Derby, Gulfstream Park, Known Agenda; Personal Ensign Stakes, Saratoga, Letruska; Spinster Stakes, Keeneland, Letruska; Carter Handicap, Aqueduct, Mischevious Alex; Maker’s Mark Mile Stakes, Keeneland, Raging Bull

Likely champion mare Letruska led all horses in 2021 with six graded-stakes wins, half of which came under Ortiz. He missed the chance to ride her in the Ogden Phipps Stakes (G1) on the Belmont Stakes undercard because of an injury. Ortiz racked up three wins in the Breeders’ Cup and now sports 14 wins at the World Championships, all since 2014.

4. Luis Saez, 32

Grade 1 wins: Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, Mystic Guide; Belmont Stakes, Belmont Park, Essential Quality; Travers Stakes, Saratoga, Essential Quality; Cigar Mile Handicap, Aqueduct, Americanrevolution; Woodward Stakes, Belmont Park, Art Collector; Churchill Downs Stakes, Churchill Downs, Flagstaff; Test Stakes, Saratoga, Bella Sofia; Bruce D. Stakes, Arlington Park, Point Me By

Saez officially won his first American Classic with Essential Quality, two years after Maximum Security’s Kentucky Derby disqualification. He also took the prestigious Saratoga riding title for the first time, winning the Jim Dandy and Travers there aboard the Belmont winner. Essential Quality was retired after the Breeders’ Cup Classic, but Saez can look forward to 2022 campaigns with Art Collector and Mystic Guide, both of whom are prepping for 5-year-old seasons.

5. Jose Ortiz, 28

Grade 1 wins: Breeders’ Cup Sprint, Del Mar, Aloha West; Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, Del Mar, Pizza Bianca; Clark Stakes, Churchill Downs, Maxfield; Ogden Phipps Stakes, Belmont Park, Letruska; Champagne Stakes, Belmont Park, Jack Christopher; Woody Stephens Stakes, Belmont Park, Drain the Clock; Matriarch Stakes, Del Mar, Regal Glory

Ortiz won the fourth and fifth Breeders’ Cup races of his career in 2021, both with dramatic final rallies. He helped trainer Christophe Clement snap a 0-for-40 drought in the World Championships aboard 10-1 shot Pizza Bianca. Ortiz’s Sprint win the next day aboard Aloha West at 11-1 odds was trainer Wayne Catalano’s first in a Breeders’ Cup race since 2011.

6. John Velazquez, 23

Grade 1 wins: Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs, Medina Spirit; Kentucky Oaks, Churchill Downs, Malathaat; Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes, Saratoga, State of Rest; Man o’ War Stakes, Belmont Park, Channel Cat; Alabama Stakes, Saratoga, Malathaat; Ballerina Handicap, Saratoga, Gamine; Derby City Distaff Stakes, Churchill Downs, Gamine; Awesome Again Stakes, Churchill Downs, Medina Spirit; La Brea Stakes, Santa Anita, Kalypso

Velazquez joined Calvin Borel (2009-10) and Victor Espinoza (2014-15) as jockeys in the 21st century to win the Kentucky Derby in back-to-back years. He started his career 0-for-12 in the Run for the Roses but has won four of the last 11 runnings thanks to Animal Kingdom (2011), Always Dreaming (2017), Authentic (2020) and Medina Spirit. Velazquez’s Kentucky Oaks score was his first since winning aboard Ashado in 2004.

7. Florent Geroux, 18

Grade 1 wins: Haskell Stakes, Monmouth Park, Mandaloun; La Troienne Stakes, Churchill Downs, Shedaresthedevil; Frank E. Kilroe Mile Stakes, Santa Anita, Hit the Road; Alcibiades Stakes, Keeneland, Juju’s Map; Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, Del Mar, Shedaresthedevil

Geroux and trainer Brad Cox will be linked thanks to two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl, who finished her career with a runner-up finish in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1). The jockey and trainer teamed up for two Grade 1 wins with another older female runner, Shedaresthedevil. Geroux and Cox won the Haskell together with Mandaloun and stand to be promoted to a Kentucky Derby win with that colt if Kentucky stewards DQ the late Medina Spirit because of a failed post-race drug test.

8. Ricardo Santana Jr., 16

Grade 1 wins: Cotillion Stakes, Parx, Clairiere; Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes, Saratoga, Max Player; Arkansas Derby, Oaklawn Park, Super Stock; Metropolitan Handicap, Belmont Park, Silver State; Forego Stakes, Saratoga, Yaupon; Coaching Club American Oaks, Saratoga, Maracuja; Frizette Stakes, Belmont Park, Echo Zulu, Hopeful Stakes, Saratoga, Gunite; Spinaway Stakes, Saratoga, Echo Zulu

Santana won Grade 1 races aboard eight runners in 2021, seven of whom were trained by Steve Asmussen. But Asmussen chose Joel Rosario to ride Echo Zulu in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies despite the filly’s two prior Grade 1 wins under Santana. He scored all but two of his graded stakes wins last year on the main track.

t-9. Junior Alvarado, 15

Grade 1 win: Jaipur Stakes, Belmont Park, Casa Creed

Alvarado won at least one Grade 1 race for the third year in a row thanks to Casa Creed, who closed late to upset the Jaipur at 11-1 odds. He also scored Grade 2 wins at Belmont, Gulfstream Park, Keeneland, and Saratoga. Alvarado still seeks his first win in a Breeders’ Cup race after finishing no better than fifth with any of his four mounts in the 2021 World Championships.

t-9. Juan Hernandez, 15

Grade 1 wins: Starlet Stakes, Los Alamitos, Eda; Gamely Stakes, Santa Anita, Maxim Rate; American Oaks, Santa Anita, Queen Goddess

Hernandez shifted his tack during the 2020 season from Northern California to Southern California, a move that continued to pay dividends in 2021. His 15 graded stakes wins during the year were more than the 11 he had from 2010 to 2020. Hernandez finished the season strong, scoring two of his three Grade 1 wins in December.