Hall of Famer Prado too old to ride in Saudi Arabia

Edgar Prado, the Hall of Fame jockey, was denied a jockey license in Saudi Arabia this week due to regulations in the country that prohibit the licensing of riders over the age of 50, the rider said on Twitter.

Prado, a 51-year-old native of Peru, said Thursday that he was heading back to the U.S. after being rejected for the license. The post included a copy of Saudi Arabian jockey club rules citing the prohibition on jockeys “over the age of 50 years or under the age of 16 years.”

Prado has won 7,020 races and banked nearly $269 million in purses in a career that stretches back to 1986. In 2018, he won 33 races from 283 mounts, mostly while riding in South Florida. He was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2008.

Prado said he traveled to Saudi Arabia under a riding contract, and his Twitter account showed that he had already ridden in several races in the kingdom prior to his license being rejected. He did not immediately respond to a phone message on Friday.

“I wish I could be more informed about before I left USA and my business, to ride here under contract, SAD!” he posted.