Joel Rosario Biography – 2013 Kentucky Derby Winner

Joel Rosario is a well-known Thoroughbred horse jockey and the only Dominican to win the Kentucky Derby. He won the Dubai World Cup and the Kentucky Derby in the space of five weeks in 2013.

Rosario came to the USA in 2006 from the Dominican Republic, where he was the leading rider four times. He has recorded over 3,000 wins and has also clinched Belmont Stakes, Breeders’ Cup, Pegasus World Cup, and Whitney Stakes.

With the growing popularity of horse racing, a lot of people are curious about the personal information of the jockey. So, let’s discuss more about Joel Rosario’s career, family, injury, and net worth.

Teen Prodigy

Joel was born on January 14, 1985, to Dominican parents. Born and raised in San Francisco de Macoris, the rider has always been into sports. He first started with baseball, but when he was sure he would not be any taller, he switched to horse racing, where he excelled as a teen prodigy.

Joel Rosario’s father and mother haven’t appeared in the media. But from what we know, his step-brother was the one to introduce him to horse racing after seeing Joel’s athletic abilities. Their family also had few horses for transportation and hauling.

After gaining interest in horse racing, the little guy began a two-year training course at the National Jockey School in San Domingo. The training program demanded a lot of hard work from Joel, but he quickly excelled, becoming one of the best teen jockeys in the course.

Likewise, Lozano was very confident with Rosario’s training experience and said that he would win many races when he was ready. But, his first racing experience ended in a tremendous defeat.

Afterward, Joel started training the horses properly before a race which gave him the first win on the Filly Grey Force with trainers Ricardo Pimentel and Cristian Pimentel.

Moreover, Joel had a great couple of years when he started racing in his homecountry. He was the leading jockey at the Quinto Centenario Racetrack in the capital city. Furthermore, Rosario won the jockey challenge in 2005 at the Clasico Internacional del Caribe. The challenge was held in honor of famous jockey Angel Cordero Jr., with whom jockeys like John Velazquez had trained.

Joel Rosario Net Worth And Career

Joel has been pursuing his passion for horse racing ever since he was a teenager. So, Joel Rosario’s net worth primarily consists of his earnings as a horse jockey.

Rosario mounted on stallion Animal Kingdom at Meydan Racecourse to win the world’s richest horse race, the Dubai World Cup, with the prize money of $10 million on March 30, 2013. He went on to clinch the Kentucky Derby title less than two months later.

Likewise, the jockey rode No Nay Never at Royal Ascot to claim the Norfolk States, breaking the five-furlong track record for two-year-old horses.

Following his wins, let’s take a look at some of Joel Rosario’s earnings:

Year	Earnings	Per Start
2021	$32,956,215	$30,430
2020	$18,229,097	$17,328
2019	$24,913,212	$22,566
2018	$21,538,452	$23,514
2017	$17,975,708	$17,798

Table Source: Equibase

With all these victories, he must have amassed a considerable amount. Furthermore, he was also honored with the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2021, the same year he collected the highest earning of his career, $32.95 million.

Since there are conflicting reports of his net worth on various reports, one can suffice that his total earnings are generated from horse racing. His trained horses have earned more than $270 million, according to Equibase.

So, it’s plausible to believe Joel Rosario’s net worth must be in multi-millions with all the horse racing wins.

Aside from glorious wins, the Kentucky Derby champ has also gone through many injuries. For example, Rosario suffered a terrible hairline rib fracture in December 2021. After being unseated from his horse Irish Constitution at Aqueduct, he was sidelined for six weeks.

The injury took a massive toll on the horse rider as his schedule was ruined. He was just six stakes away from beating a record set by Jerry Bailey in 2003 and seven stakes shy of eclipsing the record of wins set by Garrett Gomez in 2007.

Also Read: More About Horse Jockey Brad H. Cox 

Is Joel Rosario Married? Any Children?

Yes, Joel is married. According to Equibase, Joel Rosario’s wife is Briana Rosario.

The jockey is a very private person regarding his love life as he does not post anything about his partner or family on social media. The details about his spouse are pretty scarce since she has not been seen in any functions with him.

The couple also shares two children together. But like their mom, Joel Rosario’s son, Jason Rosario, and daughter, Jasmine Rosario, rarely appear in the media.

Nevertheless, Joel must be living a content and blissful life with his wife and kids. So, let’s hope he will be comfortable releasing more details about them in the future.

• Angel Cordero Jr Briana Rosario Celebrity Babies Celebrity Romance Cristian Pimentel Garrett Gomez Jasmine Rosario Jason Rosario Jerry Bailey Jockey Joel Rosario John Velazquez National Jockey School Ricardo Pimentel Sports Celebrity Biography Wilfredo Lozano