John Velazquez Tops $500 Million After Racing Career Milestone

john velazquez has become the first jockey to top $500 million in career earnings, pushing his total past $519.7 million ahead of the Kentucky Derby. He said he does not think about the money, even as the figure stands as a North American record for a jockey.

"I don’t, actually – I never think about it!" Velazquez said when asked about the milestone. He added, "I don’t pay attention to the numbers or purses. I’m still here, still riding, still enjoying it. I’m just very blessed to have the job I have. I prepare myself well – that’s shown on my record, and the rewards have come."

Leona O’Brien and the road

Velazquez credited his wife, Leona O’Brien, for helping him stay in racing through the grind of travel and time away from home. "My wife understands the life as she was born and raised in racing. Jockeys travel a lot and miss a lot, so not having a partner behind you, supporting what you do, it wouldn’t work. I’m very blessed to have that," he said.

The support has been recognized publicly before, too. Velazquez and O’Brien received the Marylou Whitney and John Hendrickson Award from the New York Race Track Chaplaincy for their commitment to the backstretch community at Saratoga Race Course, Belmont Park and Aqueduct Racetrack.

Further Ado at Churchill Downs

The earnings mark comes as Velazquez prepares to ride Further Ado in the Kentucky Derby. He said on April 25 that he had been watching the horse since it broke its maiden in Keeneland, and that he was struck enough by the effort to keep following him.

"Well, I mean, I’ve been watching this horse since he broke his maiden in Keeneland," he said. "So I’ve been watching him for a while now and we got the opportunity to ride now in the Derby."

Velazquez, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner and two-time Belmont Stakes winner who has also won the Preakness Stakes, now brings a career total that has moved beyond every other jockey in North America. He was born in Puerto Rico and now lives in New York, but his latest marker is about more than geography: it is the rare line where a long career, a relentless travel schedule and one steady partner all meet in the same week.