John Velazquez Gets Win No. 6,000

Jockey John Velazquez earned his 6,000th North American victory Nov. 30 at Aqueduct Racetrack, where he piloted Barry Schwartz's Singapore Trader to victory in the fifth race.

Velazquez, 47, is the 18th jockey to reach the milestone and one of just four active riders in the exclusive club, joining fellow Hall of Famer Edgar Prado, Mario Pino, and Perry Ouzts.

Over a 28-year career that started with a 109-win campaign in 1990, Velazquez, the highest-earning jockey in history with winnings of more than $390 million, has registered 15 wins in Breeders' Cup races and four wins in the classics. He rode Animal Kingdom  (2011) and Always Dreaming  (2017) to victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) and Rags to Riches (2007) and Union Rags  (2012) to glory in the Belmont Stakes (G1).

"Everybody kept asking me when it was going to happen, but for me it was just another number," Velazquez said after his milestone win. "One day I'll look back and know I accomplished something great, but my job is to come here and win races. That's what I care about.

"Between me and Mike Luzzi, we're probably the oldest guys in the jockeys' room, and I do consider myself a father figure to the rest of the guys in the room. It's nice to have those kids look up to you and still following their dreams. Hopefully, they continue along as well. As far as looking forward, I'm fortunate to have won a lot of prestigious races in my career, so I'm just thankful for that. That's what we're here for, to try and come out and win races, and we go from there."

Velazquez won his 5,000th race aboard the Todd Pletcher-trained Galloping Giraffe in 2013 at Belmont Park. Singapore Trader is also trained by Pletcher, who teamed with Velazquez to win the Belmont with Rags to Riches and the Derby with Always Dreaming.

"Winning 6,000 races is a tremendous accomplishment, but what I'm most proud of Johnny for is the person he is—a leader of the jockey community, a caring father, loving husband, (and) friend and mentor to many," Pletcher said. "These are the qualities that make him so special."

"I guess it was meant to be," Velazquez added. "I won my 5,000th for Todd, so it's kind of nice to come back now and win my 6,000th with him as well and have it stay in the family."

Velazquez attended jockey school in Puerto Rico in 1988 and joined the NYRA circuit in 1990 under the guidance of Hall of Famer Angel Cordero Jr., who is now his agent. Velazquez achieved his first New York victory aboard My Brother Jay in March of that year at Aqueduct.

In 1995, Velazquez won the first two of his 187 grade 1 victories with Turk Passer in the Turf Classic Invitational Stakes and Perfect Arc in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes.

When the 1996 Aqueduct Spring meet concluded, Velazquez earned his first meet title, and he has earned 26 meet titles on the New York Racing Association circuit.