Horse racing is a sport loved throughout Australia and around the world as it brings people together in a social and festive atmosphere.
Familiar tracks and fierce competition feature a combination of speed and skill, especially in popular events like the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. Many enthusiasts and gamblers attend each event to see if their favorite jockey will finish first.
Unibet Australia horse racing odds and results are constantly updated based on jockey and horse fixtures and performances, along with other domestic and international betting platforms that track horse racing across the country. Many jockeys in this field have played an important role in changing the sport and taking it to higher levels. Let’s see who they are.
John Velazquez
John Velazquez was born in Puerto Rico and began riding at an early age. He was noted for his natural talent and quickly became famous. His journey, marked by hard work, skill and excellent planning, took him from local Puerto Rican racetracks to international stardom.
He won more than 6,000 races during his career, including three Kentucky Derby wins in 2011, 2017 and 2020 and two Belmont Stakes wins in 2007 and 2012. His most recent victory was the 2023 Preakness Stakes.
Not only is he a champion rider, but he is also recognized for his love of horses, with whom he has formed long-term partnerships. One of the highlights of Velazquez’s career was his induction into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2012.
Lafitt Pincay Jr.
Lafitt Pincay Jr. Took horse racing to a new level with 9,530 career wins. Pincay was born in Panama and was a jockey like his father.
Pincay’s career took off very quickly and with each race his reputation as a technical and disciplined jockey grew and spread.
He has competed in many races including the San Bernardino Handicap, Blue Grass Stakes, Hawthorne Handicap and more. He has won popularity contests such as: His most memorable victories came in the Kentucky Derby (1984, with the American-bred Swale) and the Belmont Stakes (1984).
His endurance and strength defined Pincay’s life outside the racetrack. Through all of these challenges, Pinkay has shown the same grit and determination in his personal life as he has in his racing career.
Pat Eddery
Born in Ireland in 1952 into a family of horse racing enthusiasts. He was assigned to the hippodrome. His father was also a jockey and later a trainer, which influenced Pat’s early interest in racing.
As a teenager, Eddery moved to England to further his career and trained with Frenchie Nicholson, a famous jockey at the time. He quickly had a huge impact on equestrian sports.
He won over 4,600 races throughout his career, 11 of them as champion jockey, highlighting his consistent excellence in a highly competitive field. Even after he stopped riding, Edige continued to train and coach riders, becoming a mentor to many.
Eddery’s time ended when he died in 2015, but his influence on horse racing will live on. Six years later, in 2021, he was inducted into the British Champions Series Hall of Fame.
