5 of the nation’s prime riders have been nominated for the 77th George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award at Santa Anita Park.
Tyler Baze, Alex Birzer, Julien Leparoux, Jareth Loveberry, and Tim Thornton comprise the group that can be voted on by their friends nationwide to find out who can be Santa Anita Park’s 2026 Woolf Award winner.Â
Since 1950, The Woolf Award honors riders whose careers and private character earn esteem for the person and the game of Thoroughbred horse racing. Some of the prestigious awards in sports activities, the Woolf Award can solely be received as soon as.
North America’s champion apprentice jockey in 2000, Tyler Baze, 42, was born in Seattle. The son of a former jockey, Earl Baze, Tyler Baze hails from a legendary racing household that additionally produced North America’s all-time main rider by wins, Russell Baze (2002 Woolf Award winner). Russell Baze is Tyler’s second cousin and a retired member of racing’s Corridor of Fame. Tyler’s uncle Gary Baze was additionally a prime rider, primarily within the Northwest.
Tyler Baze has been a Southern California staple and has constantly endeared himself to horsemen and followers alike as a tireless competitor that involves work able to trip. Baze has overcome private adversity and turn out to be a real credit score to his career. Baze is near acquiring one other profession milestone, as he has received 2,988 races in North America by Jan. 22.Join BloodHorse Every day
Birzer, a local of Council Grove, Kan., received his first race June 24, 1992 at River Downs and has received quite a few using titles all through the Midwest together with Prairie Meadows, The Woodlands, and at Nebraska tracks. He received his 3,000th race at Oaklawn Park Feb. 20, 2017 and presently rides primarily at Delta Downs, Prairie Meadows and Will Rogers. Birzer was inducted into the Prairie Meadows Corridor of Fame in 2019. Birzer, 52 began off the yr by accumulating his 4,000th North American Thoroughbred victory Jan. 2026.Â
Leparoux, 42, was born in Senlis, France. Leparoux got here to Southern California in early 2003 to work as an train rider for coach Patrick Biancone earlier than launching his jockey profession in the summertime of 2005. Leparoux has been a number one rider at Keeneland 12 instances, along with his first title coming in 2006. Along with his successes at Keeneland, Leparoux notably notched seven wins in a single day at Churchill Downs Nov. 11, 2008, tying him with the legendary Pat Day, who first achieved the feat in 1984. Leparoux received the 2009 Eclipse Award as excellent jockey and 2006 Eclipse Award as excellent apprentice. He’s one in all solely 4 jockeys to win an Eclipse as each apprentice and journeyman.
Loveberry started his profession at Nice Lakes Downs in his native Michigan the place he rode his first winner Aug. 29, 2005. Loveberry, 38, notched his 2,000th profession victory in December. A a number of graded stakes-winning jockey, Loveberry has ridden at tracks all through the Midwest. Loveberry received his 1,000th race at Remington Park Nov. 28, 2015. In 2023, Loveberry completed second within the Kentucky Derby (G1) aboard Two Phil’s  for coach Larry Rivelli.
Thornton, 38, comes from a household of rodeo riders and he himself rode bulls as a younger teenager. He started his Thoroughbred using profession at age 16 and earned his first win on June 13, 2003 at Arlington Park. He would go on to win quite a few using titles at Hawthorne Race Course earlier than going again to his native Louisiana in 2017. Thornton continued to point out his aggressive spirit by setting a observe file at Delta Downs when successful seven races in sooner or later in 2021.Â
The 2025 Woolf Award was received by Kendrick Carmouche. The 2026 winner can be introduced in March.Â
Thought to be one of many biggest big-money riders of his period, George Woolf was a family title by advantage of successful the inaugural Santa Anita Handicap aboard Azucar on Feb. 23, 1935, and for his affiliation with the immortal Seabiscuit, whom he rode to victory over Triple Crown Champion Struggle Admiral in a famed match race at Pimlico Race Course Nov. 1, 1938. Often called “The Iceman,” Woolf was revered by his fellow riders, members of the media and hundreds of thousands of racing followers throughout America as a fierce competitor and consummate skilled.
This press launch has been edited for content material and elegance by BloodHorse Workers.
Source link
