Velazquez savors 1,000th Saratoga riding victory

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Jockey John Velazquez has reached many milestones in his career, perhaps none as meaningful to the Hall of Fame rider as the one he achieved Thursday by guiding Precursory to victory in the eighth race for his 1,000th lifetime win at Saratoga.

“Of all the milestones, this is one of the best ones for me,” said Velazquez, who is 50. “I came here as an 18 year old with Angel Cordero [Jr.], who had been the leading rider at Saratoga for so many years, and he kept trying to put it in my head how special a place it was.”

Velazquez won three races in his first summer at Saratoga in 1990, eight the next year, but could manage only two and four victories, respectively, the next two seasons.

“I was furious and didn’t think it was such a special place for me and at one point I almost thought about going back home,” Velazquez said. “But I got a new agent, he kind of got me started again, and from then on my business began to steadily get better and it just continued on to where I am today.”

By 1995, Velazquez was rolling and won 25 races at Saratoga. He ultimately peaked with 64 victories in 2004. He is the all-time winningest rider at Saratoga and has topped the standings five times. Obviously, his 1,000th winner on Thursday was the sweetest yet.

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Thursday’s victory was the 17th of the current session for Velazquez and the 6,330th of his career.

“It means a lot to me to ride here. Angel told me if you can thrive at Saratoga, you can thrive everywhere you go,” Velazquez said. “That grew on me little by little as I got better and understood the meaning of riding in Saratoga.”

Velazquez said he’s never been one to actually follow stats and numbers and that he’s never at any point in his career changed anything about his riding just to achieve a particular milestone.

“I’ve been here way too long to start changing things, I don’t try to push it. I just go out and ride my races and I think that’s why I’ve been successful for so long,” said Velazquez.

As for the possibility of retiring any time soon, Velazquez said, “If I’m healthy and getting the opportunities I want, they’re still riding me, I’ll ride for a little longer. The day that I feel I’m not having fun and don’t have the opportunity to ride the good horses, I can say bye any time. I don’t have to do it, but [right now] I’m enjoying it.”

Ron Anderson, Velazquez’s current agent, was among the first to greet him in the winner’s circle after the race.

“It’s just amazing, he’s so respected and so loved by everybody,” said Anderson. “And he works tirelessly for all these kids. He’s a special person and I’m along for the ride, but that’s all about him.

“They’ll be talking about him 50 years from now with what he did, trying to help the [Jockeys’] Guild and everybody. This [1000 wins at Saratoga] is way up there. Very special.”