Robby Albarado facts for kids

Robby J. Albarado (born September 11, 1973) is a famous American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey. He started riding horses when he was just 10 years old. By age 12, he was racing at small tracks in his home state of Louisiana.

Robby became a professional jockey in 1990. He has won over 5,000 races in his career. Even though he faced serious injuries, he always came back to race.

Early Life and Training

Robby Albarado grew up wanting to race horses. His father was also a jockey at local tracks in Louisiana. Robby said that being around horses is his earliest memory. He started helping with horses when he was very young.

He cleaned stalls and walked horses to be close to them. By age 9 or 10, he was galloping horses. This means he rode them during training. He began riding in races at age 10, learning from a trainer named Shelton LeBlanc. Robby turned professional when he was 16 years old.

A Champion Jockey's Career

Robby Albarado got his first official win on June 29, 1990. He was riding a horse named One Little Point at Evangeline Downs. His first big win in a stakes race happened in 1993. He won the Grady Madden Memorial with Tuck's Honey Bear.

In 1995, he won his first graded stakes race. This was the Stars and Stripes race at Arlington Park. His first Grade I win, which is the highest level, was in 1998. He won the Turf Classic at Churchill Downs with Joyeux Danseur.

Overcoming Challenges

Robby's career had some tough times because of injuries. He had serious head injuries in 1998 and 1999. Doctors had to do surgery to help him recover. He also had another bad fall in late 2000. This kept him from racing for most of 2001. But Robby always worked hard to get back on the track.

Major Wins and Awards

In 2003, Robby got a big chance to ride a horse named Mineshaft. They won four Grade I races together. Mineshaft was even named Horse of the Year! In 2005, Robby and Mineshaft were honored. They were put into the Fair Grounds Racing Hall of Fame. Robby had won many races at that track.

Robby received the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2004. This award is given to jockeys who show great character. On December 8, 2004, he won his 3,000th career race. This happened at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans.

Success with Curlin

Robby was the main jockey for a famous horse named Curlin. They finished third in the 2007 Kentucky Derby. But they won their first Triple Crown race together. This was the 2007 Preakness Stakes. They beat the Derby winner, Street Sense.

Robby and Curlin almost won the 2007 Belmont Stakes. They lost by a tiny bit to a female horse named Rags to Riches. Later that year, Robby won his first Breeders' Cup race. He rode Curlin to victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic. In 2008, they also won the Dubai World Cup, a huge international race.

Milestones and Achievements

On May 30, 2009, Robby reached another milestone. He won his 4,000th career race at Churchill Downs. In 2011, Robby was supposed to ride Animal Kingdom in the Kentucky Derby. But he got injured just before the race. Another jockey rode Animal Kingdom, and the horse won the Derby.

In 2013, Robby finished second in the Kentucky Derby with Golden Soul. By 2017, Robby was one of the top riders at Churchill Downs. Only two Hall of Fame jockeys had more wins there than him. He got his 1,000th win at Churchill Downs in 2014.

On January 22, 2017, Robby achieved his 5,000th career win. He won with a horse named Vivacious V. V. at Fair Grounds Race Course. He said he felt comfortable and was making good choices in his races.

On October 3, 2020, Robby rode Swiss Skydiver to win the 2020 Preakness Stakes. Robby Albarado rode his last career race on December 11, 2021, at Turfway Park. He is now thinking about becoming an agent for other jockeys.