Velazquez honored with Mike Venezia Memorial Award
Aug 30, 2014 23:38:43 GMT -5
Post by Jon on Aug 30, 2014 23:38:43 GMT -5
Congrats Johnny V
Velazquez honored with Mike Venezia Memorial Award
Brisnet
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, a two-time Eclipse Award-winning rider who serves as chairman of the Jockeys' Guild board of directors and a board member of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund (PDJF), was presented with the Mike Venezia Memorial Award on Saturday at Saratoga.
Velazquez was named the winner of the Mike Venezia Memorial Award following a fan vote conducted on NYRA.com. The award was formerly voted upon by the jockey colony of the New York Racing Association, which created the award in 1989 to recognize those riders who display the sportsmanship and citizenship that defined Venezia.
During a special ceremony in the winner's circle following Saratoga's 3RD race, Velazquez was presented with the award by Helene Venezia, wife of Mike Venezia, who passed away in 1988 after sustaining injuries in a racing accident at Belmont Park. Venezia, a native of Brooklyn, won more than 2,300 races during his 25-year career.
Also in attendance for Saturday's presentation were Venezia's daughter, Allison, her husband, James McGowan, and their two children.
"I never got to meet Mike Venezia, but I heard so much about him -- he was a great jockey, a great person and most of all a great family man," said Velazquez, 42, who has won more races than any other jockey at Saratoga and is the nation's all-time money-earning rider. "I was telling his wife those are big boots to fill, and I was honored to be recognized for those qualities."
Previous winners of the Venezia Award:
2013 Ramon Dominguez 1997 Robbie Davis
2006 Edgar Prado 1996 Laffit Pincay Jr.
2004 Patricia Cooksey 1995 Pat Day
2003 Richard Migliore 1994 Mike Smith
2002 Dean Kutz 1993 Jerry Bailey
2001 Mike Luzzi 1992 Angel Cordero Jr.
2000 Jorge Chavez 1991 Chris McCarron
1999 Gary Stevens 1990 Bill Shoemaker
1998 Eddie Maple 1989 Mike Venezia (posthumously)
Note: The award was not given in 2005 nor from 2007-12
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires
of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund (PDJF), was presented with the Mike Venezia Memorial Award on Saturday at Saratoga.
Velazquez was named the winner of the Mike Venezia Memorial Award following a fan vote conducted on NYRA.com. The award was formerly voted upon by the jockey colony of the New York Racing Association, which created the award in 1989 to recognize those riders who display the sportsmanship and citizenship that defined Venezia.
During a special ceremony in the winner's circle following Saratoga's 3RD race, Velazquez was presented with the award by Helene Venezia, wife of Mike Venezia, who passed away in 1988 after sustaining injuries in a racing accident at Belmont Park. Venezia, a native of Brooklyn, won more than 2,300 races during his 25-year career.
Also in attendance for Saturday's presentation were Venezia's daughter, Allison, her husband, James McGowan, and their two children.
"I never got to meet Mike Venezia, but I heard so much about him -- he was a great jockey, a great person and most of all a great family man," said Velazquez, 42, who has won more races than any other jockey at Saratoga and is the nation's all-time money-earning rider. "I was telling his wife those are big boots to fill, and I was honored to be recognized for those qualities."
Previous winners of the Venezia Award:
2013 Ramon Dominguez 1997 Robbie Davis
2006 Edgar Prado 1996 Laffit Pincay Jr.
2004 Patricia Cooksey 1995 Pat Day
2003 Richard Migliore 1994 Mike Smith
2002 Dean Kutz 1993 Jerry Bailey
2001 Mike Luzzi 1992 Angel Cordero Jr.
2000 Jorge Chavez 1991 Chris McCarron
Velazquez honored with Mike Venezia Memorial Award
Brisnet
Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez, a two-time Eclipse Award-winning rider who serves as chairman of the Jockeys' Guild board of directors and a board member of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund (PDJF), was presented with the Mike Venezia Memorial Award on Saturday at Saratoga.
Velazquez was named the winner of the Mike Venezia Memorial Award following a fan vote conducted on NYRA.com. The award was formerly voted upon by the jockey colony of the New York Racing Association, which created the award in 1989 to recognize those riders who display the sportsmanship and citizenship that defined Venezia.
During a special ceremony in the winner's circle following Saratoga's 3RD race, Velazquez was presented with the award by Helene Venezia, wife of Mike Venezia, who passed away in 1988 after sustaining injuries in a racing accident at Belmont Park. Venezia, a native of Brooklyn, won more than 2,300 races during his 25-year career.
Also in attendance for Saturday's presentation were Venezia's daughter, Allison, her husband, James McGowan, and their two children.
"I never got to meet Mike Venezia, but I heard so much about him -- he was a great jockey, a great person and most of all a great family man," said Velazquez, 42, who has won more races than any other jockey at Saratoga and is the nation's all-time money-earning rider. "I was telling his wife those are big boots to fill, and I was honored to be recognized for those qualities."
Previous winners of the Venezia Award:
2013 Ramon Dominguez 1997 Robbie Davis
2006 Edgar Prado 1996 Laffit Pincay Jr.
2004 Patricia Cooksey 1995 Pat Day
2003 Richard Migliore 1994 Mike Smith
2002 Dean Kutz 1993 Jerry Bailey
2001 Mike Luzzi 1992 Angel Cordero Jr.
2000 Jorge Chavez 1991 Chris McCarron
1999 Gary Stevens 1990 Bill Shoemaker
1998 Eddie Maple 1989 Mike Venezia (posthumously)
Note: The award was not given in 2005 nor from 2007-12
Bet Horseracing Free Online at TwinSpires
of the Permanently Disabled Jockeys' Fund (PDJF), was presented with the Mike Venezia Memorial Award on Saturday at Saratoga.
Velazquez was named the winner of the Mike Venezia Memorial Award following a fan vote conducted on NYRA.com. The award was formerly voted upon by the jockey colony of the New York Racing Association, which created the award in 1989 to recognize those riders who display the sportsmanship and citizenship that defined Venezia.
During a special ceremony in the winner's circle following Saratoga's 3RD race, Velazquez was presented with the award by Helene Venezia, wife of Mike Venezia, who passed away in 1988 after sustaining injuries in a racing accident at Belmont Park. Venezia, a native of Brooklyn, won more than 2,300 races during his 25-year career.
Also in attendance for Saturday's presentation were Venezia's daughter, Allison, her husband, James McGowan, and their two children.
"I never got to meet Mike Venezia, but I heard so much about him -- he was a great jockey, a great person and most of all a great family man," said Velazquez, 42, who has won more races than any other jockey at Saratoga and is the nation's all-time money-earning rider. "I was telling his wife those are big boots to fill, and I was honored to be recognized for those qualities."
Previous winners of the Venezia Award:
2013 Ramon Dominguez 1997 Robbie Davis
2006 Edgar Prado 1996 Laffit Pincay Jr.
2004 Patricia Cooksey 1995 Pat Day
2003 Richard Migliore 1994 Mike Smith
2002 Dean Kutz 1993 Jerry Bailey
2001 Mike Luzzi 1992 Angel Cordero Jr.
2000 Jorge Chavez 1991 Chris McCarron