Ramón A. Domínguez (born November 24, 1976) is a retired Venezuelan

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

and Hall of Fame member in

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, p ...

thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and Horse industry, industry involving the Horse racing, racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter know ...

. Domínguez began riding horses at age 16 in his native Venezuela in

show jumping Show jumping is a part of a group of English riding equestrian events that also includes eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes are commonly seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics. Sometimes shows ar ...

then turned to riding thoroughbreds in

flat racing Horse racing is an equestrianism, equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all spor ...

events at La Rinconada Hippodrome. He emigrated to the United States where he began riding at Florida's

Hialeah Park Race Track The Hialeah Park Race Track (also known as the Hialeah Race Track or Hialeah Park) is a historic racetrack in Hialeah, Florida. Its site covers 40 square blocks of central-east side Hialeah from Palm Avenue east to East 4th Avenue, and from East ...

in 1996. In 2001 he got his big break by becoming the winningest jockey in the United States. He repeated the feat in 2003, and in 2004 he won the Isaac Murphy Award for having the highest winning percentage among all American-based jockeys. Master Dunker and Chinglish at 2011 James W Murphy Stakes

Master Dunker and Chinglish at 2011 James W Murphy Stakes

Domínguez was the regular rider of two-time Eclipse Award-winning turf champion

Gio Ponti Giovanni "Gio" Ponti (; 18 November 1891 – 16 September 1979) was an Italian architect, industrial designer, furniture designer, artist, teacher, writer and publisher. During his career, which spanned six decades, Ponti built more than a hu ...

, whom he has ridden to victories in six Grade One stakes races including

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...

Man o' War Stakes The Man o' War Stakes is a Graded stakes race, Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for horses aged four-years-old and older. It is run over a distance of one and three-eighth miles on grass, turf and is scheduled annually for early May at Be ...

twice, as well as the

Arlington Million The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flat horse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward on turf. It was originally raced at Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois over a distance of miles. The Arling ...

, Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap and

Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes The Coolmore Stud, Coolmore Turf Mile Stakes is a Graded stakes race, Grade I American thoroughbred horse race for three year olds and older over a distance of one mile on the Grass, turf held annually in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexing ...

twice. His first win in the

Breeders' Cup The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Graded stakes race, Grade I Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse races, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was ...

came in 2004 when he rode Better Talk Now to victory in the

Breeders' Cup Turf The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current ...

. His second Breeders' Cup victory was the 2011 Juvenile when he rode Hansen to victory in gate-to-wire fashion over

Union Rags Union Rags (born in March 3, 2009 in Kentucky) is a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2012 Belmont Stakes. He also won the Champagne Stakes and the Saratoga Special Stakes Background Union Rags is a bay with a white blaze (a ...

. His third and final win in the Breeders' Cup came in 2012, also in the Breeders' Cup Turf, when Little Mike upset the race at 17-1 odds. Domínguez has won six races in a day on four occasions, most recently on July 22, 2012, when he rode six winners from seven mounts at

Saratoga Race Course Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track located on Union Avenue in Saratoga Springs, New York, Saratoga Springs, New York (state), New York, United States. Opened in 1863, it is often considered to be the oldest major sporting v ...

tying the same day win record by a jockey among all New York tracks. He is the second jockey in Saratoga's history to win six races on a single race card. He has also won five races in a day on several occasions at

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack within ...

, most recently on February 17, 2010, when he won the first five races on the card. In 2012 Dominguez topped the

New York Racing Association The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse racing tracks in the state of New York (state), New York, United States: Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Q ...

(NYRA) riding circuit for the fourth straight year with 322 victories, and was also the winner of the

George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award The George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award has been presented by Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, annually since 1950 to the thoroughbred horse racing jockey in North America who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct ...

, bestowed by his peers for excellent conduct and given by

Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious race ...

. Domínguez is the recipient of the 2010, 2011, and 2012

Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey The Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey is an American thoroughbred horse racing honor for jockeys first awarded in 1971. Part of the Eclipse Awards program, it is awarded annually. Panamanian jockey Laffit Pincay Jr. won the inaugural award in 197 ...

. In 2012 set a new mark for single-season earnings by a jockey, when his mounts brought home $25,582,252 to shatter the 2003 bar of $23,354,960 set by Hall of Famer

Jerry Bailey Jerry D. Bailey (born August 29, 1957) is a retired American Hall of Fame jockey and current NBC Sports thoroughbred racing analyst. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest jockeys of all time. Early years Bailey was born in Dallas, Texas bu ...

. On June 13, 2013, Dominguez announced his retirement following the advice of his doctors after a traumatic brain injury he sustained at

on January 18, 2013. On April 25, 2016, Dominguez's induction into the

National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred horse racing, Thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and Horse trainer, trainers. In 1955, the museum ...

was announced.

Year-end charts

References

External links

Ramon A. Dominguez Official Website

Ramon A. Dominguez at the NTRA
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dominguez, Ramon A. 1976 births American jockeys American Champion jockeys Sportspeople from Caracas Living people Venezuelan emigrants to the United States United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees