Having been on Kentucky Derby rides that were scratched three years in a row, jockey John Velazquez was beginning to seriously doubt his luck. When Uncle Mo was withdrawn due to illness it seemed as though the Puerto Rican born jockey was becoming the butt of some sort of cosmic joke.
However the universe works in strange ways, and a last minute injury to jockey Robby Albarado opened up a spot on longshot Animal Kingdom. The rest, as they say, is history.
Bet on John Velazquez to win the Preakness Stakes and the Triple Crown!
Born in Puerto Rico in 1971, Velazquez got his start in horse racing on the island and was soon picked to head to the big leagues of New York State. Over the next several years he honed his skills at Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct. Along the way he managed to rack up numerous high profile wins and was the top earning jockey in both 2004 and 2005. Triple Crown success however eluded him until this year.
Velazquez feels confident heading into the Preakness and said of his Derby winning trip aboard Animal Kingdom, “I didn’t have to do much. He was going well the whole way around.” Certainly they looked like a winning combo when they charged down the backstretch to take the win, and should they keep the same form they will be tough to beat at the Preakness.
However the universe works in strange ways, and a last minute injury to jockey Robby Albarado opened up a spot on longshot Animal Kingdom. The rest, as they say, is history.
Bet on John Velazquez to win the Preakness Stakes and the Triple Crown!
Born in Puerto Rico in 1971, Velazquez got his start in horse racing on the island and was soon picked to head to the big leagues of New York State. Over the next several years he honed his skills at Saratoga, Belmont and Aqueduct. Along the way he managed to rack up numerous high profile wins and was the top earning jockey in both 2004 and 2005. Triple Crown success however eluded him until this year.
Velazquez feels confident heading into the Preakness and said of his Derby winning trip aboard Animal Kingdom, “I didn’t have to do much. He was going well the whole way around.” Certainly they looked like a winning combo when they charged down the backstretch to take the win, and should they keep the same form they will be tough to beat at the Preakness.
