Alex Solis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alex Solis |
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Alex Solis, 2006
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| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | March 25, 1964 Panama City, Panama |
| Career wins | 5,035 As of 2017[update] |
| Major racing wins | |
Graded Stakes wins
Florida Derby (1986, 1997)
Santa Anita Derby (1986, 2006) San Juan Capistrano Handicap (1986, 1996, 2006) Los Angeles Handicap (1988, 1999, 2002, 2006) Hollywood Derby (1989, 1999, 2002) La Brea Stakes (1990, 2002) Malibu Stakes (1990, 2000) San Felipe Stakes (1990, 1992) Del Mar Oaks (1992, 2008) Hawthorne Handicap (1993) Eatontown Handicap (2000) John C. Mabee Handicap (2003) Eddie Read Handicap (2001, 2005, 2007) Bing Crosby Handicap (1988, 1998, 2000, 2001) Pat O'Brien Handicap (2006) Del Mar Handicap (1990, 1997, 2003, 2006) Del Mar Debutante Stakes (1990, 1991, 1994, 2005) Del Mar Futurity (1991, 1994) Santa Paula Stakes (1995, 1997, 2007) La Cañada Stakes (1996, 2003, 2004) Morris Handicap (1996) Pacific Classic Stakes (1996) Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (1997) Wood Memorial Stakes (1997) Yellow Ribbon Stakes (1997, 2005, 2009) Santa Anita Handicap (1998) Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (1999) Providencia Stakes(1999, 2002, 2005) San Gabriel Handicap (2000, 2003) Hollywood Turf Cup Stakes (2001) Secretariat Stakes (2001) Manhattan Handicap (2002) Del Mar Handicap (2003, 2006) Sham Stakes (2003, 2004, 2009, 2010) Sunshine Millions Sprint (2003) Carter Handicap (2004) Metropolitan Handicap (2004) Acorn Stakes (2006) Eddie Logan Stakes (2007) Las Cienegas Handicap (2008) Gamely Stakes (2009) San Clemente Handicap (2009) Sham Stakes (2009) San Rafael Stakes (2009) Railbird Stakes (2010) |
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| Racing awards | |
| George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award (1997) | |
| Honours | |
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| Significant horses | |
| Snow Chief, Kona Gold, Beat Hollow, Pleasantly Perfect, Captain Bodgit, Victory Gallop, Brother Derek, Megahertz, The Pamplemousse, Irish Mission | |
Alex O. Solis, born on March 25, 1964, is a famous jockey from Panama. He lives in Glendora, California and mostly races horses in Southern California. Alex became well-known in 1986 when he won the Preakness Stakes with a horse named Snow Chief. In 2014, he was chosen for the horse racing Hall of Fame. On January 1, 2015, he became only the 29th jockey in North America to win 5,000 races!
Contents
Early Life and Training
Alex grew up on a farm in San Carlos, Panama. His family was not rich, but he spent a lot of time around horses. When he was 13, he visited a race track for the first time. By age 14, he had joined a special school for jockeys.
After two years of training, Alex became the best apprentice jockey in Panama. In 1982, he moved to the United States. He only had $700 and could not speak English. He started his racing career at Calder Race Course in Florida. He quickly became successful there. People gave him the nickname El Maestrito, which means "The Little Master." Alex learned English by watching TV and listening to music.
Alex Solis's Racing Career
Alex Solis first rode in the Kentucky Derby in 1983. He rode a horse called Current Hope, but they did not win. In 1986, he rode Snow Chief in the Derby. Snow Chief was a favorite to win, but they finished far back. However, Alex and Snow Chief went on to win the Preakness Stakes that same year. This was Alex's only win in an American Triple Crown race.
He finished third in the 1991 Derby and Belmont Stakes with Mane Minister. In 1997, he was second in the Kentucky Derby with Captain Bodgit. He also finished second in the Derby with Victory Gallop in 1998. In 2000, he was second in both the Derby and the Belmont with Aptitude.
Big Wins and Achievements
Alex won his first Breeders' Cup race in 2000. This was the Breeders' Cup Sprint on a horse named Kona Gold. In 2003, he won two more Breeders' Cup races. He won the Breeders' Cup Turf with Johar and the Breeders' Cup Classic with Pleasantly Perfect. Both horses were trained by Richard Mandella. By the end of 2003, Alex was ranked fourth in the country for money earned from races.
In 2004, Alex won the Dubai World Cup with Pleasantly Perfect. He also won the 2006 Santa Anita Derby riding Brother Derek. In 2010, Alex rode Mandurah to a new world record. They ran a mile on the turf in 1 minute and 31.23 seconds at Monmouth Park. This was the fastest mile ever on turf at that time.
Family and Injuries
Alex Solis has two sons, Alex Solis II and Andreu Solis. Both of them became bloodstock agents. This means they help buy and sell horses for clients. Sometimes, their father, Alex, even rode horses that his sons helped find. In 2009, Alex won the Sham Stakes on The Pamplemousse. His son, Alex II, partly owned this horse. In 2012, Alex rode the filly Irish Mission to win the Breeders' Stakes in Canada. This was his first win in a Canadian Triple Crown race.
Being a jockey can be dangerous. Alex had a very serious injury in 2004. He broke his back and had to have surgery. He was out of racing for eight months. Doctors put two titanium rods and eight screws in his back. He has also broken his knees, fingers, toes, ribs, and left leg.
In 2009, Alex was featured in a TV show called Jockeys on Animal Planet. He enjoyed being part of it, but he felt the show added too much drama. He said, "The sport is already full of drama with all the hardships that jockeys have to go through, such as breaking bones. So they didn't need to add more drama."
Hall of Fame and Retirement
In 2002, Alex Solis was added to the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was also inducted into the Panama Racing Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was chosen for the National Museum of Racing's Hall of Fame in the United States.
On January 1, 2015, Alex earned his 5,000th win in North America. This happened at Santa Anita Park. He was only the 29th jockey in North American history to reach this many wins. His 5,000th win was on a horse named Lutine Belle. This horse was partly owned by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and Alex's son, Alex II.
On April 30, 2015, the Governor of California, Jerry Brown, appointed Alex to the California Horse Racing Board. This board helps manage horse racing in California. Alex planned to keep riding horses while serving on the board.
On November 26, 2017, Alex Solis announced he was retiring from riding horses. He now works with his son Andreu and Matt Weinmann at a company called Equine Analysis. They help find future champion racehorses.
Alex Solis also has another son named Austin, who is also a jockey.
Images for kids
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Alex Solis in 2009.
See also
- List of jockeys
- Thoroughbred horse racing
