Keeneland, Churchill Downs jockey died when he was struck by a vehicle on I-64
Jockey Miguel Mena, who regularly raced at Kentucky’s top tracks, was killed after being struck by a vehicle on I-64 on Halloween night, according to Churchill Downs.
Mena, 34, whose given name is Jose Mena Rodriguez, was pronounced dead at 7:36 p.m. by the Jefferson County coroner’s office. He died from blunt-force injuries and his death was labeled an accident.
According to the Louisville Courier-Journal, Mena was hit just after 7:30 p.m. Sunday on I-64 westbound between Blankenbaker Parkway and Hurstbourne Lane near mile marker 16. Mena was trying to cross the interstate and did not have a vehicle within the vicinity of the accident, WDRB reported. Jeffersontown Police don’t believe alcohol was a factor. The jockey reportedly “worked out horses” at Churchill Sunday prior to his death.
Mena had been jockeying horses for years. He had won 2,079 races in North America and his horses earned over $72 million in prize money, according to Churchill Downs. He was a two-time Derby jockey, according to WDRB.
“This news is absolutely shocking, terrible and heartbreaking,” Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson said in a press release. “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.”
Mena had won 481 races at Churchill Downs, which ranked No. 15 all-time. At Keeneland in Lexington, Mena won 113 races and four stakes.
Mena was born in Lima, Peru, into a family tied to horse racing. According to Churchill Downs, Mena’s father, Jose, was a jockey and his uncle, Humberto, is a trainer.
Mena first went to a racetrack at the age of 6 with his father, dreaming of the day when he could be a jockey, according to his biography on Keeneland’s website.
“I used to go to the racetrack all the time,” Mena told Keeneland. “I was watching my dad ride and I wanted to do what he was doing. I got the idea in my head when I was a kid that I’m going to be a jockey.”
According to Churchill Downs, Mena attended the Jorge Bernardini Yori Jockey School in Peru at the age of 14. He moved to the United States when he was 17 and recorded his first North American win as a jockey at Calder Race Course in Florida shortly afterward.
His first win at Keeneland came in 2006. He had ridden at Keeneland throughout last week’s Fall Meet according to Equibase, with his last race occurring Saturday.
This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 3:58 PM.
