Jorge Velasquez

Jorge Velasquez has been a jockey for 27 years and is just a half-dozen victories shy of winning his 6,000th horse race, but he says he's nowhere near ready to hang up his saddle. "I feel young, I've got lots of business, I've got my weight under control and there's lots of money to be made," the 5-foot-3, 107-pound jockey said. "I really don't know when I'd quit." Velasquez won seven races at Arlington International Racecourse in suburban Arlington Heights this week, but none on Saturday.

Jorge Velasquez, a Hall of Fame jockey, fractured his pelvis Thursday when a horse he was working out collapsed and pinned him down at Calder Race Course. Velasquez, 47, is expected to be sidelined for two months, said Manuel Marrero, his agent. Velasquez was scheduled to ride Migrating Moon in Saturday's $300,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. He was in the top 10 at the current Gulfstream meeting with nine winners.

Jorge Velasquez rode five winners at Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, Ill., while Pat Day, who now leads Velasquez, 115-112, was blanked with his eight mounts.

"Hey, champ!" There was a slight rustling in Alydar's stall. Again, "Hey, champ!" The colt stirred some more. "Hey, champ!" Jorge Velasquez shouted for the third time and by now, he had Alydar bucking and kicking. Velasquez came out from behind the tree, where he had been hiding, near Alydar's barn at Belmont Park. When Alydar saw Velasquez, he quieted down. His regular jockey was simply having some fun. "Alydar knew Jorge," Charlie Rose said.

Jorge Velasquez, a Hall of Fame jockey, fractured his pelvis Thursday when a horse he was working out collapsed and pinned him down at Calder Race Course. Velasquez, 47, is expected to be sidelined for two months, said Manuel Marrero, his agent. Velasquez was scheduled to ride Migrating Moon in Saturday's $300,000 Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park. He was in the top 10 at the current Gulfstream meeting with nine winners.

Its Acedemic caught up with the leaders entering the stretch and then went on to a 1 1/2-length victory in the $113,000 Stymie handicap Monday at Aqueduct. The victory was the first in three starts this year for the 6-year-old who was ridden by Jorge Velasquez. Congeleur, 115, ridden by Jerry Bailey, set the pace going into the stretch and held on for a second-place finish, beating King's Swan, 115, by two lengths.

Mr. G.J.G., ridden by Mike Venezia, scored a front-running upset victory Sunday in the $73,500 Alex M. Robb Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds and up at Aqueduct. The 3-year-old son of Breezing On-Chili Spice, carrying 114 pounds, held gamely in the drive to reach the wire a half-length ahead of Hot Cop, carrying 116 pounds and ridden by Jean-Luc Samyn. Hot Cop was coupled in the wagering with Judge Costa as the favored entry.

Sam Rubin, who wisecracked his way through the career of John Henry, a horse who earned $6.5 million after Rubin bought him for $25,000, hasn't retired as a stand-up comic. On an occasion that sometimes is solemn and tearful, Rubin and Dick Francis, the former British steeplechase jockey who became a best-selling mystery novelist, made levity the pattern of the day Thursday as four horses, two trainers and a jockey were admitted into racing's Hall of Fame.

Its Acedemic caught up with the leaders entering the stretch and then went on to a 1 1/2-length victory in the $113,000 Stymie handicap Monday at Aqueduct. The victory was the first in three starts this year for the 6-year-old who was ridden by Jorge Velasquez. Congeleur, 115, ridden by Jerry Bailey, set the pace going into the stretch and held on for a second-place finish, beating King's Swan, 115, by two lengths.

Jorge Velasquez rode five winners at Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights, Ill., while Pat Day, who now leads Velasquez, 115-112, was blanked with his eight mounts.

Barry Brown, an effervescent jockey agent, pulls up to a barn in his van on the backstretch at Arlington International Racecourse. Brown is trying to do another agent a favor, by getting a California jockey a mount in today's Arlington Million, but anyone listening to the fast-talking New Yorker would be uncertain about exactly what he's doing. The first person Brown sees at the barn is Mahmoud Fustok, the Saudi Arabian who is running Fijar Tango in the Million.

Jorge Velasquez has been a jockey for 27 years and is just a half-dozen victories shy of winning his 6,000th horse race, but he says he's nowhere near ready to hang up his saddle. "I feel young, I've got lots of business, I've got my weight under control and there's lots of money to be made," the 5-foot-3, 107-pound jockey said. "I really don't know when I'd quit." Velasquez won seven races at Arlington International Racecourse in suburban Arlington Heights this week, but none on Saturday.

Can a horse have a broken heart? Could Native Dancer even know the only race he ever lost was the Kentucky Derby? Well, no. But, if ever a horse was entitled to a broken heart, it was a magnificent son of Pretense called Sham. Sham was one of the most beautiful animals you will ever see, a glorious golden colt who, the trainers used to say, ran so high and so fast he didn't leave tracks. He won the Santa Anita Derby in race record time, only a couple of ticks off the track record.

Jorge Velasquez, a six-time New York riding champion and a jockey whose mounts have earned more than $95 million, is coming to Hollywood Park to ride, starting next Thursday. Velasquez, like another recent import from New York, Jacinto Vasquez, plans to stay in California if his business is good. Velasquez, who will be 41 Dec. 28, won the Kentucky Derby in 1981 with Pleasant Colony and in 1985 rode Proud Truth and Twilight Ridge to victory in the Breeders' Cup at Aqueduct.

Can a horse have a broken heart? Could Native Dancer even know the only race he ever lost was the Kentucky Derby? Well, no. But, if ever a horse was entitled to a broken heart, it was a magnificent son of Pretense called Sham. Sham was one of the most beautiful animals you will ever see, a glorious golden colt who, the trainers used to say, ran so high and so fast he didn't leave tracks. He won the Santa Anita Derby in race record time, only a couple of ticks off the track record.

Jorge Velasquez, a six-time New York riding champion and a jockey whose mounts have earned more than $95 million, is coming to Hollywood Park to ride, starting next Thursday. Velasquez, like another recent import from New York, Jacinto Vasquez, plans to stay in California if his business is good. Velasquez, who will be 41 Dec. 28, won the Kentucky Derby in 1981 with Pleasant Colony and in 1985 rode Proud Truth and Twilight Ridge to victory in the Breeders' Cup at Aqueduct.