Top Jockeys

There are some jockeys that are (or were) so good that they will be enshrined in horse racing lore; they are legends of the sport. We have included jockey biographies of some of horse racing's best riders from right now, men like Frankie Dettori and Kieren Fallon, as well as the best jockeys from the past like the incomparable Lester Piggot.

Horse racing is a demanding sport, and jockeys push their bodies to the maximum and sometimes beyond the boundaries of healthy living in order to survive and thrive in their pursuit for riding excellence. They have to maintain a balancing act whereby their weight stays low and their endurance and strength remains at a peak in order to control a surging animal that they perch upon. The life of a jockey is also very stressful as many of them often like to bet on the races in which they ride.

If you're looking for the world's best jockeys in various horse racing locales, from Australia and South Africa all the way to the United States then you have found the right page as we showcase jockeys that are always (well, nearly always) worth wagering on!

Rated Horse Racing Jockeys

Ryan Moore took the Champion Jockey award in 2006, he also took first place at 2003 Goodwood King George Stakes aswell as Flat Jockey of the Year and British flat racing Champion Jockey in 2006.

Corey Nakatani has won the Kentucky Oaks twice, and his Breeders' Cup wins place him firmly in the top 10 of Breeders' Cup earnings.

Rafael Bejarano was Champion Jockey in 2004 (USA), and in 2007 won both the Blue Grass Stakes and Breeders' Cup Distaff.

Alex Solis won the Preakness Stakes to gain reputation, and followed this up with two wins at the Breeders Cup.

Jeffrey Lloyd the jockey from South Africa, who is considered one of world's top jockeys was placed 3rd in the Australian Premiership.

Alan Garcia, a experienced USA jockey who was victorious with his first Breeders' Cup ride, and winning the Belmont stakes.

Profile of the leading Irish jockey Johnny Murtagh, who is the stable-elect for Aidan O'Brien and rides the top runners for the Coolmore horse racing empire.

There are many US horse bettors who feel that pound for pound Edgar Prado is the best jockey riding in America today. He is certainly a great advantage to any horse and has enjoyed a sparkling career.

Profile of the jockey Robby Albarado, who is best known for piloting Curlin to all his major group 1 wins. Albarado has risen to prominence recently despite a career marred by severe injury.

Christophe Soumillon is one of the top jockeys riding in Europe today. He has won The Arc, the King George, and the Breeders' Cup Turf, amongst many other big Group 1 races.

One of America's great jockeys, John R Velazquez is a multiple Eclipse Award winner and has ridden numerous big race winners in the USA most notably in the Breeders Cup.

Weichong Marwing is one of the most successful jockeys to emerge from the South African horse racing scene, associated with top-class horses like Horse Chestnut and Asiatic Boy.

Seb Sanders is the co-champion jockey of UK flat racing, sharing the title for the 2007 season along with Jamie Spencer. Sanders is a tireless rider who always bags his fair share of winners.

Known today as the jockey who rode Big Brown to victory in the first two legs of the 2008 Triple Crown, Kent Desormeaux holds many records in US horse racing and is a living legend in the sport of kings.

Arguably one of the top five jockeys riding in the USA today, Garrett Gomez has exploded onto the horse racing scene in recent years aided by his partnership with trainer Todd Pletcher.

A champion jockey in his native South Africa, Felix Coetzee has subsequently attained equal if not greater heights as a rider in Hong Kong, where he will forever be associated with the wonder horse Silent Witness.

Jamie Spencer is the reigning champion jockey in the UK (a title he shares with the dogged Seb Sanders). Spencer is one of Europe's best riders and has many big wins to his credit.

Anton Marcus began his horse racing career as Basil Marcus' little brother but has carved out his own place as a legend of South African horse racing. He is one of the finest jockeys to emerge from SA in recent memory with numerous big race wins.

Turcotte rode two of the most celebrated racehorses in the history of the sport, namely Northern Dancer and Secretariat. In fact it is hard to think of a North American jockey who rode better horses than him, and his results were outstanding.

The last jockey ever to ride a winner of the Triple Crown (Affirmed thirty years ago in 1978), Steve Cauthen was a prodigious riding talent who won championship titles in both the USA and in the UK. A legend of the sport.

From a famous and some might say cursed family of horsemen, Damien Oliver is one of the greatest jockeys in Australian horse racing. His numerous big race wins include two Melbourne Cups.

William Lee Shoemaker is one of the greatest jockeys in the history of horse racing. An incredible athlete, The Shoe, piloted home more than 8800 winners in a career that spanned several decades.

Mike Smith is one of the leading jockeys in the USA with huge victories in major races like the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders' Cup Juvenile. He's now a veteran who doesn't get the best rides but he has made the most of his opportunities.

Mick Kinane profile and biography. Kinane is one of the leading international jockeys with a fantastic record in big races. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Michael Kinane right here

When Gary Stevens retired from the USA horse racing scene in 2005 his mounts had earned more than $221 million in stakes. Not bad for a high school dropout who had to deal with a degenerative hip disease as a young boy. His bio is full of record-breaking achievements in the saddle

Jerry D Bailey is one of the greatest jockeys ever to ride in the USA. His record of 15 victories in the Breeders' Cup remains unsurpassed to this day, and he also won numerous Triple Crown races and the Dubai World Cup for good measure.

Lester Piggott was the greatest jockey of his generation and certainly one of the best of all time. He also went to jail and constantly battled to keep his weight down, foreshadowing the difficulties faced by some of today's great riders

Kieren Fallon is one of the leading jockeys in the world, and also one of the most controversial. He was recently acquitted of race-fixing allegations only to test positive for cocaine following a race in France. He has been British champion jockey six times.

Profile of Frankie Dettori, one of the best jockeys in the world. We've included a Frankie Dettori bio as well as a list of his most notable horse racing victories