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 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 when he won the 1986 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 American history to win 5,000 races!
Contents
Early Life and Start in Racing
Alex grew up on a farm in San Carlos, Panama. His family was poor, but he spent a lot of time with horses. When he was 13, he visited a racetrack for the first time. By age 14, he joined a jockey school. After two years, he became the best apprentice jockey in Panama.
In 1982, Alex moved to the United States. He only had $700 and did 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". He 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, but they still did not win. However, later that year, Alex and Snow Chief won the Preakness Stakes. 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 Derby with Captain Bodgit. He also finished second in the Derby in 1998 with Victory Gallop. In 2000, he was second in both the Derby and Belmont with Aptitude.
Alex won his first Breeders' Cup race in 2000. This was the Breeders' Cup Sprint on 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. He made over $16 million that year!
In 2004, Alex won the Dubai World Cup with Pleasantly Perfect. In 2006, he won the Santa Anita Derby with Brother Derek. In 2010, Alex rode Mandurah to set a new world record. They ran a mile on the turf in 1 minute and 31.23 seconds at Monmouth Park.
Alex has two sons, Alex Solis II and Andreu Solis. Both of them became bloodstock agents. They buy and sell horses for clients. Sometimes, their father has even ridden horses they 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.
Injuries and Life Off the Track
Jockeys often face injuries. Alex Solis had a very serious injury in 2004. He broke his back and needed surgery. Doctors put two titanium rods and eight screws in his back. He was out of racing for eight months. He has also broken his knees, fingers, toes, ribs, and left leg.
Alex was featured in a TV show called Jockeys in 2009. He enjoyed being part of it. However, 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."
Awards and Retirement
In 2002, Alex Solis was added to the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame. In 2010, he joined the Panama Racing Hall of Fame. In 2014, he was elected to the United States Racing Hall of Fame. On January 1, 2015, he won his 5,000th North American race at Santa Anita Park. This made him one of only 29 jockeys to reach this milestone. His 5,000th win was on a horse named Lutine Belle. This horse was partly owned by his son, Alex II.
On April 30, 2015, Governor Jerry Brown appointed Alex to the California Horse Racing Board. He planned to keep riding horses while serving on the board.
On November 26, 2017, Alex Solis announced he was retiring from riding horses. Now, he works with his son Andreu and Matt Weinmann at Equine Analysis. They help find future champion horses.
Alex Solis also has another son named Austin, who is also a jockey.
See Also
- List of jockeys
- Thoroughbred horse racing
Images for kids
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Alex Solis in 2009
