Kentucky Derby 2025 jockey Luis Saez: Meet the rider of the horse Neoequos
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Kentucky Derby 151 preview
Click below to view more coverage from the Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com previewing the 151st Kentucky Derby to be held May 3, 2025, at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
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Luis Saez knows the thrill of riding his horse across the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby.
What the 32-year-old native of Panama City, Panama, does not have is official credit for a Derby victory.
After Saez booted Maximum Security to apparent victory in the 2019 Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs stewards overturned the outcome by ruling that the horse interfered with the travel of two other horses during the race.
Rather than victory in the race many jockeys most want to win, Saez and Maximum Security were placed 17th in the 2019 Derby field. Race runner-up Country House was the designated winner.
Since that unhappy outcome for Saez, the jockey has ridden in the Kentucky Derby four times subsequently with a best finish of third on Essential Quality in 2021.
In the 2025 Kentucky Derby, Saez was originally slated to ride Tappan Road. However, trainer Brad Cox scratched Tappan Road from the race after the horse exited an April 26 workout at Churchill Downs with a condylar fracture to his right front leg.
So instead, Saez will ride Neoequos for trainer Saffie A. Joseph Jr. in the Run for the Roses.
The Florida-bred Neoequos enters the Kentucky Derby off of back-to-back third-place finishes in the Fountain of Youth Stakes (March 1) and Florida Derby (March 29) at Gulfstream Park.
In his career, Neoequos has won twice in seven starts.
Saez will ride Neoequos for the first time in the Kentucky Derby. He will be the fifth jockey to ride the horse in what will be its eighth career race.
Here are the things you need to know about Luis Saez:
▪ Kentucky Derby track record: Has ridden in 11 prior Derbys and is officially credited with four top-10 finishes.
▪ Other Triple Crown races: Has won the Belmont Stakes twice, aboard Essential Quality in 2021 and Dornoch last year. Also finished third in the Belmont in 2023 on Tapit Trice. Was second in the Preakness Stakes in 2018 aboard Bravazo.
▪ Breeders’ Cup results: Won the Juvenile in 2020 on Essential Quality. Has finished second eight times and third eight times.
▪ Career statistics: In racing this year through May 1, has ridden in 518 races with 92 wins, a winning percentage of 18%, with earnings of $7,283,385.
For his career, Saez has ridden in 21,327 races with 3,723 wins, a win percentage of 17%, with earnings of $237,464,308.
▪ Worth noting: Saez had a younger brother, Juan, who was also a promising jockey. However, as a 17-year-old apprentice jockey, Juan Saez died from injuries he suffered in a racing accident in 2014 at Indiana Grand Racing & Casino (now Horseshoe Indianapolis).
This story was originally published May 2, 2025 at 11:56 AM.
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