Martin A. Pedroza (born July 20, 1965 in

Panama City, Panama Panama City, also known as Panama, is the capital and largest city of Panama. It has a total population of 1,086,990, with over 2,100,000 in its metropolitan area. The city is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province ...

) is a

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 ...

in American

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 ...

. Pedroza trained at the Panama jockey school and in 1981 rode his first winner at Hipódromo Presidente Remón in Panama City. He emigrated to California for the 1983 racing season where he won more races than any other apprentice jockey during three meets at

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 ...

Oak Tree An oak is a hardwood tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' of the Fagaceae, beech family. They have spirally arranged leaves, often with lobed edges, and a nut called an acorn, borne within a cup. The genus is widely distributed in the Northe ...

and Los Alamitos. He is considered one of the best jockeys of all time.

Major racing accomplishments

Martin Pedroza won six consecutive races at Santa Anita Park on October 31, 1992, equaling that track's record held by Steve Valdez in 1973 and matched by

Darrel McHargue Darrel G. McHargue (born September 26, 1954, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) is a retired American Champion jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. One of five children from a family not connected to horse racing, he was first introduced to riding as a ...

in 1979 and by

Laffit Pincay Jr Laffit Alejandro Pincay Jr. (born December 29, 1946) is a retired Panamanian jockey who is known for once holding the all-time record for wins in horse racing, while still holding third place many years after his retirement. He competed primarily ...

. in 1987 and Patrick Valenzuela in 1988. Of the four record holders, only Pedroza earned his wins in successive races. In 2008, he won his 3000th career race at Fairplex Park on a day when he won a record seven races then followed up with another seven-race win day just two days later. At the 2005 Hollywood Park 2005 fall meet, Martin Pedroza won more races than any other jockey and in 2010 he won his thirteenth riding title at Fairplex Park, twelve of which have been consecutive since 1999. Pedroza's longtime agent is Richie SilversteinFairplex Park Newsroom - September 27, 2010
As at August 28, 2011, Martin Pedroza has won 3,346 races.

Year-end charts

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pedroza, Martin A. 1965 births Living people Panamanian jockeys American jockeys Sportspeople from Panama City Panamanian emigrants to the United States