John R. Velazquez is a Puerto Rican jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. He began his career in Puerto Rico and moved to New York in 1990. In 2004 and 2005 he was the United States Champion Jockey by earnings and both years was given the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey. He was inducted into the Horse Racing Hall of Fame in 2012, rode his 5,000th winner in 2013, and became the leading money-earning jockey in the history of the sport in 2014.
Velazquez in 2016
Winning the Belmont on Union Rags
The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Grade I Thoroughbred horse races, 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. All sites have been in the United States, except in 1996, when the races were at the Woodbine Racetrack in Canada.
2018 Breeders' Cup at Churchill Downs
The saddling paddock, decorated for the Breeders' Cup
Start of 2016 Breeders' Cup Distaff
The championship races in 2009 (pictured) were the second year to have a day devoted to female horses. Since 2013, the gender on both days is mixed between races.