Miguel Mena, a multiple graded stakes-winning jockey and one of the winningest in Churchill Downs history, was killed after being struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian on westbound I-64 between Blankenbaker Parkway and Hurstbourne Lane in Louisville, Ky. on the evening of Oct. 31. He was 34, just days shy of his 35th birthday Nov. 6.
According to the Jefferson County Coroners Office, the cause of death was blunt force injuries and it was ruled an accident. Jeffersontown police said no charges are pending, WAVE 3 News reported.
"He was a guy everyone liked," said Jose Santos Jr., who acted as Mena's agent at times over his career: "He was one of the most liked guys on the track, I'd say. Everyone felt really strongly about him because he had a hell of a personality. Whether you were riding him or not, he was a guy you could sit and talk to for a long time. He was just a good person. Real sad stuff, that's for sure."
Trainer Al Stall Jr., one of the jockey's leading backers, called upon Mena to ride some of his top horses, including Tom's d'Etat in the 2020 Stephen Foster Stakes (G2) at Churchill Downs when the horse's regular rider, Joel Rosario, was unavailable.
"That was the easiest decision I ever had to make in horse racing," Stall recalled. "When Rosario stayed in New York to ride Uni, I didn't take two seconds to get the fill-in. It made life easy there.
"He rode big races well," Stall added. "He wasn't affected by zeros behind a purse. I noticed that over the years."
This year for Stall, Mena piloted Masqueparade to victory in the Ohio Derby (G3) and won the Robert G. Dick Memorial Stakes (G3T) aboard Dalika.
Mena's 481 wins at Churchill Downs rank 15th all-time. He won 16 stakes events at the Louisville track, the last of which was his second Stephen Foster triumph aboard Tom's d'Etat.
"This news is absolutely shocking, terrible, and heartbreaking," said Churchill Downs Racetrack president Mike Anderson. "Our team is devastated to learn of Miguel's passing. He was such a courageous rider who fought to overcome several challenges and adversity. We'll miss his bright smile. Our deepest condolences are extended to his many friends, fellow riders, and family, and our immediate thoughts are with his wife, April, and his daughters, Naelah and Montserrat."
"Miguel was a long time member of the Jockeys' Guild and very talented rider," said Terry Meyocks, president and CEO of the Jockeys' Guild. "He was an inspiration to many as he courageously overcame serious injuries to return to riding. He will be greatly missed by his fellow riders, his friends, and family. Our sincere condolences to his wife, April, and daughters, Naelah and Montserret."
Mena, born Nov. 6, 1986, in Lima, Peru, came from a family with roots in horse racing. His father Jose was a jockey and uncle Humberto is a trainer. As early as age 6, he'd go to the track with his father and dreamed of one day becoming a jockey. He began grooming horses at age 11, and when he turned 14 he attended Jorge Bernardini Yori Jockey School in Peru, which also produced Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado and Kentucky-based rider Rafael Bejarano.
Mena came to the United States at age 17 and recorded his first North American win as a jockey at Calder Race Course aboard Elian for trainer George Heath Sept. 7, 2003.
He began riding regularly at Churchill Downs in the fall of 2006. While he never won a Churchill Downs riding title, he did finish among the top five riders in races won during eight local meetings, including second-place finishes at the 2008 spring meet and 2019 spring meet. The latter, which included 29 wins, was a tremendous accomplishment when considering what he endured the year prior.
Mena fell from a mount March 15, 2018 at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots which resulted in eight severe fractured bones in his ankle and heel. At the time, he was the meet's leading rider. Following eight months of strenuous physical therapy, he returned to the saddle in September and rode his first race back from injury Oct. 25, 2018 at Keeneland.
Guiding Bobby's Wicked One to victory in the Commonwealth Stakes (G3) during the spring meet at Keeneland and Peace Achieved to a score in the Dixiana Bourbon Stakes (G3T) during the fall meet there, Mena secured two graded stakes scores at Keeneland in 2019. His comeback was recognized in February 2020 when he was named the inaugural winner of the Randy Romero Pure Courage Award that recognizes an active jockey who has overcome adversity.
Unable to run following the severe ankle injury, Mena, an avid soccer fan and staunch supporter of Peruvian racing and its jockeys, was often seen riding his bike around the Churchill Downs stable area each morning to maintain his fitness.
In July of 2020, Mena notched the 2,000-win milestone at Ellis Park.
Since he began riding in the U.S. in 2003, he made 2,079 trips to the winner's circle as his mounts earned more than $72,476,889. He recorded 136 career stakes wins, 37 of which were in graded stakes company. Other top victories of his included the 2011 Stephen Foster Handicap (G1) on Pool Play, the 2010 Test Stakes (G1) on Champagne d'Oro, the 2015 and 2018 Risen Star Stakes (G2) with International Star and Bravazo , respectively, as well as the 2015 Louisiana Derby (G2) on International Star. He also guided eventual dual champion turf mare Tepin to victory in the 2013 Delta Downs Princess Stakes (G3) on the dirt.
This year, Mena won 49 races and his mounts collected purse earnings of $2,867,960. His final ride was Oct. 30 at Keeneland.
A GoFundMe account has been created to help the Mena family.
