Ismael “Milo” Valenzuela

This is Ismael “Milo” Valenzuela, who in 1958 became the first Latino jockey to win the Kentucky Derby. Born in Texas to parents who were Mexican immigrants, Valenzuela rode Tim Tam to the winner’s circle that year and then went on to take the Preakness (Tim Tam suffered a career-ending injury in the Belmont and the two placed 2nd). In all, Valenzuela would log over 2,500 victories in his career.

Photo Credit: Bernard Stanley Morgan. Used by permission of the Keeneland Library.

Since the 1950s, jockeys from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Panama have grown to dominate the sport. Eight of the top ten jockeys (by money earned) in the United States in 2020 were from one of those places.