Joel Rosario (born January 14, 1985) is a Dominican jockey who mainly competes in American thoroughbred horse racing, originally from the Dominican Republic. In the space of five weeks in 2013 he rode the winners of the Dubai World Cup and the Kentucky Derby. In 2021 he rode Knicks Go to wins in the Pegasus World Cup, Whitney Stakes, and Breeders' Cup Classic. A winner of 15 Breeders' Cup races and nine riding titles in Southern California, Rosario was elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2024 in his first year of eligibility.

Career

On December 11, 2009, Rosario equaled a Hollywood Park Racetrack record when he won six races on a single race card. Previously, the feat had been achieved by Hall of Fame jockeys Bill Shoemaker (1953, 1970), Laffit Pincay, Jr. (1968), and Kent Desormeaux (1992). On March 30, 2013, Rosario won what was then the world's richest horse race, the US$10 million Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai, aboard the US-based stallion Animal Kingdom. The same year, on May 4, 2013, he won the Kentucky Derby aboard the colt Orb. On June 20, 2013, Rosario won the Norfolk Stakes aboard No Nay Never at Royal Ascot, and broke the 5 furlong track record for two-year-olds. In 2014, he won the Belmont Stakes on Tonalist. In April 2015, he surpassed 2,000 career wins. On November 13, 2020, Rosario won his 3,000th career race aboard Hit the Woah at Aqueduct Racetrack.

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