Jockey Joel Rosario has joined the 3,000 win club.
The 35-year-old notched his 3,000th career win in the first race at Aqueduct Racetrack Nov. 13 when he piloted Hit the Woah to a 1 1/4-length score in a six-furlong maiden special weight. This tally does not include one victory from Puerto Rico.
Rosario then won another race by taking the opening race Nov. 14 at Aqueduct aboard Halpert in a six-furlong maiden race moved off the turf.
"I knew when I was a couple away, and I thought it might take a long time to get, you know how it goes," said the rider. "I'm so glad it happened and thanks to all the owners and trainer for the opportunities."
Rosario, who posted his first career win in 2006, has compiled at least 150 victories every year since 2007. His career has included victories rich in both quantity and quality, encompassing 13 wins in Breeders' Cup competition and three classics, starting with Orb in the 2013 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1). His victory aboard Tonalist in the 2014 Belmont Stakes (G1) thwarted California Chrome 's Triple Crown bid, and Rosario picked up his second career win in the "Test of the Champion" aboard Sir Winston in 2019.
Rosario has accumulated 292 graded stakes wins and 91 grade 1s. He won 305 races in 2010, his highest yearly win total. His richest year by earnings came in 2013 when his mounts made over $27.5 million. Last year, his mounts made $26.2 million from 222 victories.
"Coming from the Dominican Republic, I'm very thankful to all the people who got me to where I am today," Rosario said. "All the support from the owners and trainers and all the good horses they've given me, I'm very pleased and very happy to get to 3,000 wins, and going forward, I'm looking forward to seeing how many more I can get."
He won two Breeders' Cup races at Keeneland Nov. 6-7, taking the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) with Vequist and the Big Ass Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) with Knicks Go .
