2021 Eclipse Awards: Joel Rosario

Joel Rosario led all riders in 2021 in purse money won, graded stakes victories, and overall stakes successes to become a finalist for what would be his first Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding rider.

Rosario, who spent considerable time at all the major racing circuits in 2021, led all riders in purse money with $32,994,478, just $1.16 million short of Irad Ortiz Jr’s single-year North American record, set in 2019. If you add in purse earnings Rosario had from Saudi Arabia and Dubai, his total balloons to $35,421,978.

Rosario’s 69 stakes wins were five more than second-place Flavien Prat and just seven fewer than Garrett Gomez’s one-year record of 76, set in 2007. Rosario won 49 graded stakes, four more than runner-up Prat and just six short of Jerry Bailey’s record of 55 set in 2003. Rosario won nine Grade 1 stakes in 2020, tied for third along with Ricardo Santana Jr. behind Flavien Prat (12) and Irad Ortiz Jr. (10).

Rosario won 228 races from 1,083 mounts, and he missed the final month of the year due to a fractured rib suffered in a spill on Dec. 2 at Aqueduct.

:: Full list of 2021 Eclipse Awards finalists, including profile stories

In addition to major success at Belmont Park, Churchill Downs, and Santa Anita, Rosario set a record for wins (17) and purse money won ($2.94 million) at the six-day Kentucky Downs meet.

Rosario was the regular rider for Horse of the Year favorite Knicks Go, guiding him to five victories including Grade 1 triumphs in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, Whitney, and Pegasus World Cup. He was the regular rider of four-time graded stakes winner and potential sprint champion Jackie’s Warrior, and won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies aboard Echo Zulu.