Paco Lopez hits 3,000-win milestone

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Paco Lopez became the latest jockey to join the 3,000-win club, reaching that milestone after being awarded the victory in Saturday’s second race at Gulfstream Park aboard Heart of God, who was elevated to first via the disqualification of apparent winner Sassy Beast.

Lopez, 35, who won the first three races on Saturday’s card, rode Quarter Horses in his native Mexico before coming to South Florida in 2006. He rode his first Thoroughbred winner on July 13, 2007 at Calder and was voted the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top apprentice jockey after winning 209 races and nearly $4 million in purses the following season.

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Lopez, who has teamed up with agent Cory Moran throughout his 14-year riding career, won the 2010 and 2011 Gulfstream Park riding titles, the 2019 Gulfstream Park West crown, along with 11 riding championships in New Jersey. Eight of those came at Monmouth Park, where he rides regularly throughout the summer and fall. The highlight of his career came in 2018 with his victory aboard Roy H in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

“It’s exciting to make the milestone with my agent, Cory Moran, who was with me from the beginning,” said Lopez. “And it’s also exciting to win my 3,000th race in South Florida where I started my career.”