Velazquez on Verge of Record for Belmont Starts

Jockey John Velazquez's ride in the 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1) was considerably shorter than anticipated, finishing on two legs instead of four after maiden Bodexpress reared and unseated the Hall of Famer at the start. 

But in the 151st edition of the $1,500,000 Belmont Stakes (G1) June 8—win or lose—when Velazquez's mount, the Todd Pletcher-trained Intrepid Heart (by Tapit ), springs from the Belmont Park gate, the Puerto Rico native will take sole possession of the record for riding in the most Belmonts at 23.

"(Breaking the record) will absolutely be a point of pride for me, especially since New York is my home," said Velazquez, the all-time top-money-winning jockey in North America with more than $400 million in purse earnings. Currently, Velazquez is tied at 22 rides with Hall of Famer Eddie Arcaro. 

Velazquez's mentor and agent, fellow Puerto Rican riding legend Angel Cordero Jr. ranks third with 21 total rides.

Velazquez is widely recognized for two of the best rides in the modern Belmont Stakes-era. 

He was an ultra-cool customer in the saddle when Rags to Riches (2007) stumbled badly at the start, causing the rider to quickly come up with a new plan, keeping the filly relaxed outside of horses and away from the kick-back. The result was a triumphant stretch drive for the ages as Rags to Riches out-gamed Curlin  through the sandy lane.

Velazquez also showed his poise and moxie aboard Union Rags  (2012). With the colt pinned down at the rail, the rider confidently waited for Mike Smith, aboard the leader Paynter , to come out and address the onrushing Atigun, providing Union Rags with a seam to the winner's circle. 

Between 2006-2012, Velazquez's seven rides in the Belmont Stakes resulted in that pair of victories and a trio of runner-up finishes (Bluegrass Cat  in 2006, Dunkirk in 2009 and Fly Down in 2010). However, Velazquez did struggle through his earliest attempts at "The Test of the Champion." From 1995-2005 (he had no mount in 2002), the rider failed to hit the board in his first nine opportunities. 

Eddie Arcaro, winner of six Belmont Stakes (tied with Jim McLaughlin, a late 19th century rider, for the most), converted a pair of Triple Crown opportunities in the Belmont by booting Whirlaway (1941) and Citation (1948) to victories.

The Cincinnati native's first ride in the Belmont Stakes occurred in 1938. His final starter came in 1960, allowing Arcaro to span four decades of Belmonts.

Cordero also rode the Belmont Stakes in four decades, beginning in 1967 and finishing in 1991. His lone victory in the event, and perhaps one of the greatest rides in his storied career, came in 1976 when he coaxed Bold Forbes, a horse Cordero referred to as "The Puerto Rican Rolls Royce," into getting the 1 1/2-mile distance in a gate-to-wire neck victory.

Post-race, Cordero said to reporters, "I told him, 'Get me to the eighth pole. I'll take it from there.'" 

The two extremes in terms of jockey experience heading into this edition's starting gate will be John Velazquez aboard Intrepid Heart (22 Belmont Stakes rides) and Tyler Gaffalione aloft Preakness winner War of Will making his Belmont Stakes debut.

In fact, if you add up the total Belmont Stakes rides of Luis Saez (3) aboard Everfast, Jose Lezcano (4) atop Joevia, Julien Leparoux (4) on Master Fencer, and the Ortiz brothers—Jose (4) on Tacitus and Irad (5) on Tax—their combined 20 rides are still short of Velazquez's current mark.

Joel Rosario (seven Belmont rides) will guide Sir Winston, and Mike Smith, who has 19 total rides and has been victorious in three of the past nine Belmont Stakes (Drosselmeyer in 2010, Palace Malice  in 2013 and Justify  in 2018, will ride Bourbon War.