Velazquez wins Venezia Award

After an online vote by racing fans, Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez was presented the Mike Venezia Memorial Award on Saturday in the Saraoga winner’s circle. The award, created in 1989, is given to jockeys who exemplify extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship. It is named in honor of Venezia, who died as the result of injuries he suffered in a spill in 1988 at Belmont Park.

The other finalists for the award were Javier Castellano and Cornelio Velasquez.“It’s an honor,” Velazquez said. “I didn’t get to meet him because the accident was in 1988. I didn’t come to the States until 1990. He was a great jockey, a great person, but most of all, he was a great family man. Like I was telling his mother, those are big boots to fill. I’m very honored to be recognized that way.”

Velazquez, 42, became Thoroughbred racing’s all-time leading money-earning jockey late last year and the first to surpass the $300 million mark in earnings. He is Saratoga’s all-time winningest rider and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2012.

In other jockey news:

* Taylor Rice, who won just three races from 89 mounts here this summer through Friday, will lose her apprentice status at the conclusion of Monday’s races and become a journeyman jockey when racing begins Friday at Belmont.

* Israel Rodriguez, a seven-pound apprentice who has been based at Monmouth Park this summer, will move his tack to Belmont Park beginning Friday. He will be represented by Jose Morales Jr., who recently left a job in the racing office here.

* Beginning with the Belmont meet, Cornelio Velasquez will be represented by agent Bill Castle.