Patrick Angel Valenzuela was born on October 17,1962 and is an American thoroughbred horse racing jockey.
14 Facts About Pat Valenzuela
1.
2.
Pat Valenzuela rode his first career winner on November 10,1978, at Sunland Park Racetrack in Sunland Park, New Mexico.
3.
In 1980,17-year-old Pat Valenzuela became the youngest jockey to ever win the Santa Anita Derby.
4.
Pat Valenzuela was voted the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award by his peers in 1982.
5.
Pat Valenzuela has repeatedly said throughout his career that the best horse he has ever ridden was Arazi.
6.
In 1989 Pat Valenzuela won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes aboard Sunday Silence but lost his chance to capture the American Triple Crown when he was beat by Easy Goer in the Belmont Stakes.
7.
Pat Valenzuela is a seven-time winner of Breeders' Cup races.
8.
On October 9,2008, at Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Louisiana, Pat Valenzuela rode his 4,000th winner.
9.
Tom Knust, Patrick's agent, has insisted that he has been clean since May 2008, which was confirmed by Louisiana stewards as Valenzuela never failed a random drug test there.
10.
Pat Valenzuela won the G1 Shoemaker Mile with Courageous Cat and three more graded stakes from 10 stakes wins going into the 2011 Breeders' Cup.
11.
On Thursday, November 10,2011, Patrick Valenzuela was a no-call no-show to ride his mounts at Hollywood Park.
12.
CA stewards have taken him off all mounts until, and only until, Pat Valenzuela meets with the stewards, provides proof of his whereabouts and consents to a drug test.
13.
Pat Valenzuela cited his recent emergency gal bladder surgery, weight maintenance issues and knee injuries as reasons for his retirement.
14.
In June 2012, Pat Valenzuela won the Charles Whittingham Memorial Handicap at Betfair Hollywood aboard Acclamation, who was undefeated in 2012.