Del-Cid leaves California, plans to retire from riding

Jockey Vicente Del-Cid, a leading rider at Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs in recent years who currently ranks among the 20 leading riders in the nation in wins, left California earlier this month and told his agent that he plans to retire.

Del-Cid has not ridden since April 5 at Santa Anita. He moved from Louisiana to California in late February and had three wins from 25 mounts at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting.

“He retired from riding and moved back to Guatemala,” his agent, Ryan Glatt, said on Wednesday. “I think he wanted to be closer to his family.”

Glatt said that Del-Cid informed his jockey’s room valet “to sell all” of his equipment. Del-Cid did not respond to repeated phone calls or text messages on Wednesday and Thursday.

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Through Wednesday, Del-Cid ranked 17th in the nation this year with 56 wins.

Del-Cid was the leading rider at Delta Downs at the 2022-2023, 2023-2024, and 2025-2026 meetings, and second at the 2024-2025 meeting. He was the leading rider at the 2022 and 2023 Thoroughbred meetings at Evangeline Downs.

Del-Cid, 25, was a finalist for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s outstanding apprentice jockey of 2022. He has won 752 races in North America since 2021.

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