Birth Date: November 10, 1968
Birth Place: Panama City, Panama

Became the first Bay Area-based jockey to win a $1 million race when he guided McCann’s Mojave to a 33-to-1 shocker in the 2007 Sunshine Millions Classic at Gulfstream Park.   

Had  2,752 career victories through Aug. 16, 2012.

Has been the second-leading jockey at Golden Gate Fields six times – at the 2009 Fall/Winter meeting, 2008-2009 Winter/Spring, 2008 Fall, 2008 Spring, 2007-2008 Winter, and 2004-2005 Winter.  

Has twice gone a perfect 5-for-5 at Golden Gate Fields, winning with all five of his mounts on Dec. 1, 2004, and duplicating the feat on Feb. 24, 2012.  

Also had great success at Bay Meadows, where he finished second in the standings four times – 2008 Spring, 2005 Winter/Spring, 2001 Fall, and 2000 Fall.

Won the last race ever run at historic Bay Meadows – the Last Dance Stakes aboard You Lift Me Up on Aug. 17, 2008, at the San Mateo County Fair meeting.

Captured five stakes in Northern California in 2011, including the Alcatraz Stakes with Gig Harbor and the Pacific Heights Stakes with Antares World.

Won the 2010 California Oaks and 2010 Golden Poppy Stakes at Golden Gate Fields with Antares World.

Won four stakes at Golden Gate Fields in 2009 – the World The Crowd and Pacific Heights Stakes with Lady Railrider, the Golden Gate Fields Sprint with Siren Lure, and the Golden Poppy Stakes with Maid For Music.

Won 12 stakes races in Northern California in 2008, including six at Golden Gate Fields.

Captured three straight stakes at Golden Gate Fields in 2008, taking the Sausalito with Siren Lure on Nov. 22, the Forty Niner with Dakota Phone on Nov. 28, and the Pacific Heights with Lady Railrider on Dec. 6.

Won three stakes with tough sprinter Bonfante during a three-month period in 2008 – the Grade 3 $100,000 Bay Meadow Sprint, the $100,000 California Turf Sprint Championship at Bay Meadows, and the $75,000 Oakland at Golden Gate Fields.

Teamed with McCann’s Mojave to win the Grade 3 $100,000 Berkeley Stakes in 2008, the Grade 3 All American Stakes in 2007, and the Union Square Stakes in 2006.
 
Won 245 races in 2008 and ranked 12th in the nation in victories.

Won the Grade 3 Bay Meadows Handicap in 2007 with Now Victory.  

Recorded his first major victory in California in 1991 when he captured the Grade 2 $300,000 Del Mar Derby aboard the Bobby Frankel-trained Eternity Star.  

Has also won stakes with: Irish-bred Maid For Music (2009 Golden Poppy), Misty Ocean (2008 Golden Poppy), Congo Kaye (2008 Juan Gonzalez Memorial), Pass the Heat (2008 Joseph T. Grace), Kook Comic (2008 Forrest White Stakes), Charm the Giant (2007 Hillsborough Handicap), Shermeen (2007 Luther Burbank Handicap), Vaderator (2007 Fairfax Stakes), Private Banking (2007 Autumn Leaves Handicap and 2006 Marina Stakes), Court’s in Session (2006 Ernest Finley Handicap), Zoning In (2006 Malcolm Anderson Stakes), and Jimmy Z (2002 Forty-Niner Handicap).

A graduate of Panama’s famed jockey school, he won his first race on April 24, 1984, at Presidente Remon Racetrack aboard Gold Son.  

Came to the United Stakes in 1990 and notched his first U.S. victory at Gulfstream Park in Florida.    

Moved tack to Southern California in 1991, then to New York in 1993.  He was the eighth-leading rider in New York in 1994 with 142 victories.

Returned to Southern California in 1997 and then moved to the Bay Area in 2000.