Ángel Cordero Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ángel Cordero Jr. |
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Cordero with "Instant Profit" at Hialeah on February 25, 1978
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| Occupation | Jockey / trainer |
| Born | November 8, 1942 Santurce, Puerto Rico |
| Career wins | 7,057 |
| Major racing wins | |
| Roamer Handicap (1968, 1974, 1981, 1984) Suburban Handicap (1969, 1970, 1974, 1987, 1989) Jockey Club Gold Cup (1972, 1983, 1984) Man o' War Stakes (1972, 1974, 1976, 1988) Matron Stakes (1974, 1980, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1991) Canadian International Stakes (1977) Kentucky Oaks (1984, 1989) Del Mar Futurity (1984) Arlington Million (1987) Washington, D.C. International (1988) Pimlico Special (1989) U.S. Triple Crown series: Breeders' Cup Distaff (1985) Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (1988) Breeders' Cup Sprint (1988, 1989) As a trainer: |
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| Racing awards | |
| U.S. Champion Jockey by earnings (1976, 1982, 1983) U.S. Champion Jockey by wins (1968) Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey (1982, 1983, 1985) Big Sport of Turfdom Award (1992) Mike Venezia Memorial Award (1992) |
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| Honors | |
| United States Racing Hall of Fame (1988) Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame (2001) |
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| Significant horses | |
| Bold Forbes, Waya, Cum Laude Laurie, Seattle Slew, Relaxing, Jim French, Just A Game II, Slew o' Gold, Chief's Crown, Spend A Buck, Gulch, Groovy, Cannonade, Manila, Open Mind | |
Ángel Tomás Cordero Jr. was born on November 8, 1942. He is a famous jockey from Puerto Rico. He is known as one of the best horse racing jockeys of the late 1900s. Ángel Cordero Jr. was the first person from Puerto Rico to join the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. He won over 6,000 races in his career.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Ángel Cordero Jr. was born in Santurce, Puerto Rico. He started racing horses when he was very young. Horse racing was a family tradition for him. His father, Ángel Cordero Sr., was a rider and a Thoroughbred horse trainer. His grandfather and uncles also rode and trained horses.
Winning the Triple Crown Races
Ángel Cordero Jr. made history as the first Puerto Rican jockey to win all three of the American Classic Races. These important races are the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. He won them over different years.
Kentucky Derby Wins
In 1974, when he was 31, Cordero won the Kentucky Derby riding a horse named Cannonade. He won the Derby two more times, which is a big achievement. Only a few jockeys have won this race three or more times. He won again in 1976 with Bold Forbes and in 1985 with Spend A Buck.
Preakness and Belmont Stakes Wins
In 1976, Cordero also won the Belmont Stakes on Bold Forbes. He won the Preakness Stakes twice. The first time was in 1980 with Codex. The second time was in 1984 with Gate Dancer.
Career Highlights and Achievements
Ángel Cordero Jr. had many other great achievements in his career. He won four Breeders' Cup races. He was also the top rider at Saratoga Race Course for thirteen years. In 1987, he became only the fourth jockey to win over 6,000 races.
In 1992, Cordero had a serious fall during a race. This accident nearly ended his life and stopped his riding career. However, in 1995, he decided to ride again for the Breeders' Cup, even though his family and friends were worried.
Life After Riding
Ángel Cordero Jr. has now retired from riding horses in races. But he still works full-time in the sport. He used to be the agent for another famous Puerto Rican jockey, John Velazquez. Cordero's wife, Marjorie Clayton Cordero, passed away in 2001. Ángel Cordero Jr. has five children.
Cordero has received many honors for his amazing career. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2001, he joined the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame.
In 2021, Cordero was living in New York. He was working with Manuel Franco, who is also a jockey from Puerto Rico. Cordero also shared that he has a lifelong friendship with Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda.
See also
- List of Puerto Ricans
