Aaron Gryder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Aaron Gryder |
|
|---|---|
Aaron Gryder on Devil's Bay in 2007.
|
|
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | June 5, 1970 West Covina, California |
| Career winnings | $100,000,000 (ongoing) |
| Career wins | 4,000+ (at retirement) |
| Major racing wins | |
| Matriarch Stakes (1987) Stephen Foster Handicap (1990, 1995) Adirondack Stakes (1991) Super Derby (1992) Stymie Handicap (1992) Hopeful Stakes (1992) Hawthorne Gold Cup Handicap (1993) American Derby (1995) Mac Diarmida Handicap (1996) Interborough Handicap (1998) Count Fleet Stakes (1998, 2003) Jimmy Winkfield Stakes (1998) Stuyvesant Handicap (1998) Dearly Precious Stakes (1998, 2000) Busher Stakes (1998, 2004) Damon Runyon Stakes (1998, 2000, 2002, 2015) Ruthless Stakes (1999) Affectionately Handicap (1999) Nashua Stakes (2000) National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes (2000) Broadway Handicap (2000) Paumonok Handicap (1998, 2001, 2002, 2005) Distaff Handicap (2001) New York Breeders' Futurity (2002) Bed O' Roses Breeders' Cup Handicap (2003) Aqueduct Handicap (2004) The Saratoga Dew (2004) Queens County Handicap (2004) Longfellow Stakes (2005) Potrero Grande Handicap (2007) Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint (2007) Sunshine Millions Sprint (2007) Icecapade Stakes (2007) Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (2007) San Simeon Handicap (2007) Hawthorne Handicap (2008) San Fernando Stakes (2008) San Antonio Handicap (2008) San Diego Handicap (2008) Goodwood Stakes (2008) Daytona Handicap (2009) Las Flores Handicap (2009) International race wins: Breeders' Cup Marathon (2012) |
|
| Significant horses | |
| Well Armed, Tough Tiz's Sis, Barbecue Eddie, Say Florida Sandy, Seattle Fitz, Songandaprayer, Dat You Miz Blue, Smokey Stover, Desert Code, Calidoscopio |
|
Aaron Tod Gryder (born June 5, 1970) is a famous American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He was born in West Covina, California. Aaron Gryder had a long and successful career riding racehorses. He retired from racing in 2020.
Contents
Aaron Gryder: A Champion Jockey
Aaron Gryder started his exciting career as a professional jockey at just 16 years old. This was in 1986, in Tijuana, Mexico. His first victory came in 1987. He won that race at Agua Caliente Racetrack while riding a horse named Ragen Henry.
Early Rides and Big Wins
After his start in Mexico, Gryder came back to the United States. He began riding at Santa Anita Park. His first win there was on a horse called One Eyed Romeo. This horse was a long shot, meaning not many people expected it to win.
Later, he rode at Hollywood Park. He made history there as an apprentice jockey. He was the first and only apprentice to ever win the "Leading Rider" title. This was a big achievement in the track's 75-year history. Aaron Gryder also earned "Leading Rider" titles at several other famous racetracks. These include Churchill Downs, Arlington Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, and Golden Gate Fields.
Racing Around the World
One of Aaron Gryder's biggest wins happened in 2009. He rode a horse named Well Armed in the Dubai World Cup. This was one of the richest horse races in the world. They won by an amazing 14 lengths, which was the largest winning distance in the race's history.
In 2012, Gryder won another major race. He rode a long shot horse named Calidoscopio to victory. This was in the G1 Breeders' Cup Marathon. By the time he retired, Aaron Gryder had won over 4,000 races around the world.
Beyond the Race Track
Aaron Gryder's talents weren't just for horse racing. He also appeared on television shows. You might have seen him on Dellaventura or The Sopranos. He also worked as an expert on-air for sports channels. These included ESPN, NBC Sports, Fox Sports, TVG Network, and HRTV.
In 2009, he was one of six jockeys featured in a reality documentary. This show was called Jockeys and it aired on Animal Planet. After retiring from racing in 2020, Gryder joined the Stronach Group in 2021. He became their Vice President of racing industry relations.
