Ramon A. Dominguez
Encyclopedia
Ramon A. Dominguez is an Eclipse Award
-winning champion jockey
in American
Thoroughbred horse racing
.
Dominguez began riding horses at age 16 in his native Venezuela in show jumping
then turned to riding thoroughbreds in flat racing
events. He emigrated to the United States where he began riding at Florida's
Hialeah Park Race Track
in 1996.
In 2001 he got his big break by becoming the winningest jockey in the United States. He repeated the feat in 2003, and in 2004 he won the Isaac Murphy Award
for having the highest winning percentage among all American-based jockeys.
Dominguez is the regular rider of two-time Eclipse Award-winning turf champion Gio Ponti
, whom he has ridden to victories in six Grade One stakes races including Belmont Park
's Man o' War Stakes
twice, as well as the Arlington Million
, Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap
and Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes
twice. His first win in the Breeders' Cup
came in 2004 when he rode Better Talk Now
to victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf
.
Dominguez has won six races in a day on two occasions, most recently on June 5, 2011 when he rode six winners from eight mounts at Belmont Park
tying the same day win record by a jockey among all NYRA
tracks. He is the second jockey in Belmont Park's history to win six races on a single race card. He has also won five races in a day on several occasions at Aqueduct Racetrack
, most recently on February 17, 2010 when he won the first five races on the card.
Dominguez is the recipient of the 2010 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
.
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Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
-winning champion jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
in American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred horse racing
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
.
Dominguez began riding horses at age 16 in his native Venezuela in show jumping
Show jumping
Show jumping, also known as "stadium jumping," "open jumping," or "jumpers," is a member of a family of English riding equestrian events that also includes dressage, eventing, hunters, and equitation. Jumping classes commonly are seen at horse shows throughout the world, including the Olympics...
then turned to riding thoroughbreds in flat racing
Flat racing
Flat racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing which is run over a level track at a predetermined distance. It differs from steeplechase racing which is run over hurdles...
events. He emigrated to the United States where he began riding at Florida's
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
Hialeah Park Race Track
Hialeah Park Race Track
The Hialeah Park Race Track is a historic site in Hialeah, Florida. Its site covers 40 square blocks of central-east side Hialeah from Palm Avenue east to East 4th Avenue, and from East 22nd Street on the south to East 32nd Street on the north. On March 5, 1979, it was added to the U.S...
in 1996.
In 2001 he got his big break by becoming the winningest jockey in the United States. He repeated the feat in 2003, and in 2004 he won the Isaac Murphy Award
Isaac Murphy Award
The Isaac Murphy Award is an American honor presented annually since 1995 by the National Turf Writers Association of the United States to the thoroughbred horse racing jockey with the highest winning percentage who has ridden in a minimum of 500 races during the year...
for having the highest winning percentage among all American-based jockeys.
Dominguez is the regular rider of two-time Eclipse Award-winning turf champion Gio Ponti
Gio Ponti (horse)
Gio Ponti is a United States race horse and a specialist on the turf course. He was sired by Tale of the Cat, a son of Storm Cat, out of the stakes-placed Alydar mare Chipeta Springs, making him half-brother to stakes-winner Fisher Pond...
, whom he has ridden to victories in six Grade One stakes races including Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
's Man o' War Stakes
Man O' War Stakes
The Man o' War Stakes is a Thoroughbred horse race at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Now Raced in July, it is a Grade I event offering a purse of $500,000 and is open to horses three-years-old and up. Run at one and three-eighths mile on the grass, the race sometimes attracts top European horses...
twice, as well as the Arlington Million
Arlington Million
The Arlington Million is a Grade 1 flathorse race in the United States for thoroughbred horses aged three years and upward. It is raced over a distance of 1¼ miles on the turf at Arlington Park, Arlington Heights, Illinois in August each year...
, Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap
Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap
The Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run in early March at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California. Open to horses four years of age and older, it is raced over a distance of one mile . The Grade I race currently offers a purse of $300,000.Inaugurated in 1960 as...
and Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes
Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes
The Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes is a Grade I American thoroughbred horse race run annually since 1986 at Keeneland Race Course near Lexington, Kentucky. Open to horses three-year-old and up, it is raced on turf over a distance of one mile....
twice. His first win in the Breeders' Cup
Breeders' Cup
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...
came in 2004 when he rode Better Talk Now
Better Talk Now
Better Talk Now is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Out of the mare Bendita, his damsire Baldski is a son of English Triple Crown Champion Nijinsky...
to victory in the Breeders' Cup Turf
Breeders' Cup Turf
The Breeders' Cup Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for three-year-olds and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships. The race's current title sponsor is Emirates Airlines.The forerunner...
.
Dominguez has won six races in a day on two occasions, most recently on June 5, 2011 when he rode six winners from eight mounts at Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
tying the same day win record by a jockey among all NYRA
New York Racing Association
The New York Racing Association, Inc. is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse-racing tracks in the state of New York. It runs Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island , and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga...
tracks. He is the second jockey in Belmont Park's history to win six races on a single race card. He has also won five races in a day on several occasions at Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack
Aqueduct Racetrack is a thoroughbred horse-racing facility and racino in Ozone Park, Queens, New York. Its racing meets usually are from late October/early November through April.-History:...
, most recently on February 17, 2010 when he won the first five races on the card.
Dominguez is the recipient of the 2010 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey
The Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey is an American thoroughbred horse racing honor for jockeys first awarded in 1971. Part of the Eclipse Awards program, it is awarded annually....
.
External Links
Year-end charts
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!Chart (2000–present)
!Peak
position
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2000
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2001
| style="text-align:center;"|10
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2002
| style="text-align:center;"|27
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2003
| style="text-align:center;"|8
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2004
| style="text-align:center;"|9
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2005
| style="text-align:center;"|10
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2006
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2007
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2008
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2009
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2010
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