Dylan Davis (born November 15, 1994) is an American

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

jockey since 2012. In 2018, he "tied a

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 ...

record ... with a six-win day". At the

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 ...

, Davis had the most winter victories in 2022 and 2024. He also had the most wins as a NYRA jockey during 2022. Davis has won 18 Grade III, 6 Grade II and 3 Grade I events as a

graded stakes race A graded stakes race is a thoroughbred horse race in the United States that meets the criteria of the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA). A specific grade level (I, II, III or listed) is th ...

jockey. At

Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing The Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, often shortened to Triple Crown, is a series of horse racing, horse races for Thoroughbreds, often restricted to three-year-olds. Winning all three of these Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse races i ...

events, Davis was eighth at the 2022 Belmont Stakes. In the Turf Triple Series, he was sixth at the 2023 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes. The following year, he was first in the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes and Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes. At the Turf Tiara, Davis won the 2024 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes. 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 ...

, his highest finish was third place at that year's Juvenile Fillies event. Davis has won more than 1,400 races and accumulated over $88 million in prize winnings.

Early life

Davis was born in

Manhasset, New York Manhasset is an affluent Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on the North Shore (Long Island), North Shore of Long Island, in New York (state), New York, United States. It is co ...

on November 15, 1994 and has five siblings. He competed in

motocross Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom. History Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...

during his childhood. In high school, Davis was an amateur wrestler. During 2010, he became an exercise rider. His training was at the

North American Racing Academy The North American Racing Academy (NARA) is an accredited college in Lexington, Kentucky. It offers the only college degree program in the United States focused on producing jockeys. History Hall of Fame jockey and two-time Kentucky Derby winner ( ...

throughout the early 2010s.

Career

Racecourses

As a

jockey, Davis went to

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 ...

in 2012 and became an

apprentice Apprenticeship is a system for training a potential new practitioners of a Tradesman, trade or profession with on-the-job training and often some accompanying study. Apprenticeships may also enable practitioners to gain a license to practice in ...

. His victories that year were all at

Suffolk Downs Suffolk Downs is a former Thoroughbred race track in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States. The track opened in 1935 after being built by Joseph A. Tomasello for a cost of $2 million. It was sold in May 2017 to a developer who plans to cre ...

. Davis continued his apprenticeship leading up to 2014. During 2018, he "tied a

record ... with a six-win day". In March 2021, Davis had a

clavicle The clavicle, collarbone, or keybone is a slender, S-shaped long bone approximately long that serves as a strut between the scapula, shoulder blade and the sternum (breastbone). There are two clavicles, one on each side of the body. The clavic ...

injury. He stopped racing and resumed his career during May 2021. In 2022, Davis had the most winter victories at the

. That year, he had the most wins at NYRA events. In 2024, he had the most winter victories at Aqueduct. Dylan Davis in October 2023

Major races

Davis became a

winner at the Soaring Softly Stakes during 2018. He has won 18 Grade III, 6 Grade II and 3 Grade I events. Davis was twelfth at the 2020

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses, run on a grass course at a distance of 5 or furlongs, depending on the configuration of the host track. It is part of the Breeders' Cup World ...

. During 2023, he was ninth in the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf is an American Thoroughbred horse race for two-year-old horses, run on a grass course at a distance of one mile. It is part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the ''de facto'' year-end championship for North ...

during 2023. In 2024, Davis finished third at the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies is a -mile thoroughbred horse race on dirt (although the distance has varied, depending on the configuration of the host track) for two-year-old fillies run annually since 1984 at a different racetrack in the Un ...

and fourteenth at the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf The Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf is a one-mile turf stakes race for thoroughbred fillies two years old. As its name implies, it is part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the ''de facto'' year-end championship for North American thor ...

. As part of the

, Davis was eighth at the 2022 Belmont Stakes. In the Turf Triple Series, Davis was sixth at the 2023 Belmont Derby Invitational Stakes. The following year, he won the Saratoga Derby Invitational Stakes and Jockey Club Derby Invitational Stakes. As a Turf Tiara competitor, Davis was the winner of the Jockey Club Oaks Invitational Stakes in 2024.

Overall performance and personal life

In Equibase rankings for North American jockeys, Davis reached 16th place in wins and 11th place in earnings during 2022. He has won over 1,400 races and accumulated over $88 million in prize winnings. He has two kids and is married. He is related to former jockey Robbie Davis.

References

{{reflist 1994 births American jockeys Living people