George Woolf Award Honors Outstanding Jockeys

Since 1950, Santa Anita Park has presented the annual George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award to honor the memory of one of the greatest Thoroughbred riders of all time.  It is prized a one of the most prestigious awards in sports.  The Woolf Award honors riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.  The trophy is a replica of the full-size statue of George Woolf which as created through donations by the racing public after his death.

The statue of George Woolf and a life-size sculpture of Seabiscuit, the great Thoroughbred who was ridden to victory by Woolf in the Pimlico Special and Hollywood Gold Cup, have places of honor in and close proximity to the Santa Anita walking ring.  There the likenesses are admired daily by thousands of racing fans.

Jockey George Woolf was born in Cardston, Alberta, Canada, on May 31, 1910.  He began riding at small tracks in Canada and Montana.  His first big victory was in the 1933 Agua Caliente Handicap on Gallant Sir, but the year before that he scored with Hygro in the Capital Handicap at Laurel.

Known as “The Iceman,” Woolf will go down in modern turf history as one of the greatest stakes riders of all time.  He won the Belmont Futurity three straight years, with Occupation (1942), Occupy (1943), and Pavot (1944).  He also had a similar record in the American Derby at Washington Park, winning with Alsab (1942),  Askmenow (1943) and By Jimminy (1944).  He won the Hollywood Gold Cup with Seabiscuit (1938), Kayak II (1939) and Challedon (1940).  The Havre de Grace Handicap with Seabiscuit (1938) and Challedon (1939 and 1940).

He also won many other famous races, including the first running of the Santa Anita Handicap with Azucar, Santa Anita Derby, Preakness, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Arlington Handicap, Lawrence Realization, Hopeful, Hollywood Derby, Hawthorne Gold Cup, Chesapeake, Dixie, Arlington Classic, Coaching Club American Oaks, Bay Meadows Handicap and Brooklyn.

Woolf also was aboard the winner in two of the most memorable match races in history.  He outmaneuvered Charlie Kurtsinger on War Admiral to win the Pimlico Special aboard Seabiscuit in 1938.  Earlier that same year, Woolf piloted “The Biscuit” to a nose decision over Ligaroti, stalwart South American Star, in a special race at Del Mar.

Woolf was a friend to all horsemen.  He endeared himself to the little guy in racing and would give a friend’s cheap plater just as good a ride as he would a stakes horse for a fasionable stable.   Over 19 years, Woolf was 721 times first, 589 times second and 468 times third out of 3,748 mounts for an outstanding win percentage of .19.  His mounts earned $2,856,125.

Among racing fans, Woolf’s presence on a horse was practically a guarantee that the animal would be given the best possible ride.  Woolf enjoyed the confidence of the man in the grandstand as no other jockey ever had.  His coolness during a race was legend, hence the nickname “The Iceman.”

Woolf was blunt of speech and honest to a fault in his comments on the racing scene.  After riding Whirlaway to victory in the 1942 Massachusetts Handicap, the win which gave the Calumet Farm star the money-earning lead over Seabiscuit, he dismounted and was asked by reporters, “Is Whirlaway the greatest horse you ever rode?”  Woolf didn’t bat an eyelash as he picked his saddle off Whirlaway and answered, “Seabiscuit is the greatest horse I ever rode!”

Death rode the saddle with George Woolf during the running of the fourth race at Santa Anita on January 3, 1946.  He fell off W.W. Naylor’s Please Me rounding the clubhouse turn, struck the ground head first and did not regain consciousness before he died the next morning at St. Luke’s Hospital in Pasadena.  Brain concussion was given as cause of death.

2009 Recipient John Velazquez
John Velazquez, 37, was America's leading money-winning and Eclipse-Award winning jockey in 2004 and 2005, and is currently riding full-time at Gulfstream Park in Florida.  He moved from Puerto Rico and began riding in New York in 1990, where he has amassed 24 riding titles at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga.

A winner of the 2007 Belmont Stakes aboard the filly Rags to Riches, who was conditioned by one of his primary clients, Todd Pletcher, Velasquez has won six Breeders' Cup races and numerous other stakes nationwide.  In 2004, he won the Bill Shoemaker Award for top Breeders' Cup performance by a jockey, as he took the Distaff with Ashado and Sprint with Speightstown.

Velazquez, born November 24, 1971, got his 4,000th career win on Sept. 28 at Belmont Park.  His recent stakes victories include a win aboard the Pletcher-conditioned Cowboy Cal in the Grade II Strub Stakes at Santa Anita on Feb. 7.

"Johnny V." as he is known in racing circles has long been regarded as a leader among his peers and he commands the respect of horsemen and media throughout the racing world.  Velazquez came to New York at the behest of fellow Puerto Rican and retired Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero, who currently serves as his agent.

Velazquez is married to the former Leona O'Brian, daughter of trainer Leo O'Brian.  They have two children, a daughter Lerina, and a son, Michael Patrick.  The Velazquez's reside permanently in New York.