WHEN the Overnight programme for tomorrow’s 12-racecard Derby Day programme was made public, it gave confirmation to the news first carried in this newspaper that top notch Peruvian-born rider Edgar Prado will be partnering ante-post favourite for the Derby, the Lorne Kirlew-trained Talented Tony K.

Prado has had a long and distinguished career as a racehorse jockey in the United States. The Complete Racing Guide lists his achievements for the benefit of our readers.

Edgar S Prado (Lima, June 12, 1967) is a Peruvian-born American jockey, a US Racing Hall of Fame jockey in thoroughbred horse racing.

His big break came in 1997 when he won 536 races, making him the fourth rider in history to win 500 races in one year. Much of that success was gained in Maryland, where he ruled that circuit for several years. A resident of Hollywood, Florida, in 2004 Prado became the 19th jockey in thoroughbred racing history to win 5,000 races.

On May 6, 2006, Prado rode Barbaro to victory in the 132nd Kentucky Derby, 6_ lengths ahead of the second finisher, Bluegrass Cat. The margin of victory was the largest since Triple Crown winner Assault won by eight lengths in 1946.

Other racing accomplishments include victories in the 2002 and 2004 Belmont Stakes, in each case aboard a long shot, depriving a favourite of the United States Triple Crown. In 2002 Prado won the Belmont aboard Sarava, who is the longest shot to ever win the Belmont Stakes in its history at odds of 70_/1. In 2004 Prado rode Birdstone to victory in the Belmont, denying heavy favourite Smarty Jones the Triple Crown. Prado and Birdstone then went on to win the prestigious Travers Stakes at the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York in August 2004.

On February 10, 2008 at Gulfstream Park, Edgar Prado achieved his 6000th win. Only 16 jockeys in the United States have achieved this record.

Prado is involved with Belmont Park’s “Anna House”, a child day care centre providing care for the children of backstretch workers.

On August 4, 2008, he was formally inducted into the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame.

2014 STATISTICS TO DATE

Starts – 183

Firsts – 25

Seconds – 26

Thirds – 23

Earnings – US$1,389,519

Ave. Earnings Per Start – US$7, 593

CAREER STATISTICS

Starts – 36,714

Firsts – 6,712

Seconds – 5,855

Thirds – 5,103

Earnings – US$250,408,792

Ave. Earnings Per Start – US$6,812