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75th George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award Finalists Named

Junior Alvarado, Alex Birzer, Julien Leparoux, Edwin Maldonado and Rodney Prescott were selected as finalists for the 2024 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, 1/ST Racing said in a release Wednesday morning.

Presented by Santa Anita Park, the Woolf Award, which itself is a replica of the life-sized statue which adorns Santa Anita's Paddock Gardens area, is determined by a vote of jockeys nationwide. It can only be won once. The winner of the 75th annual prize will be announced in February.

Named in honor of the legendary late jockey George “The Iceman” Woolf, this year's list of nominees were all prominent in various regions, ranging from California to the Midwest, Florida and New York.

Best known as the regular rider of Bill Mott's two-time GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile hero Cody's Wish (Curlin), Junior Alvarado immigrated to America from Venezuela in 2007, established a permanent base in New York in 2010 and has 2082 wins to his credit through Dec. 3.

Alex Birzer is a five-time leading rider at Prairie Meadow in Des Moines, Iowa and a four-time leader at The Woodlands near Kansas City. Through Dec. 3, the son of a trainer has amassed 3,826 wins.

French native Julien Leparoux established a mark of consistently at Keeneland Racecourse. He has 2,956 wins through Dec. 3 and was voted Eclipse Champion Apprentice as well as Eclipse Champion Jockey.

Unusually tall for a jockey at five feet, eight inches, Columbus, Ohio native Edwin Maldonado has been a regular on the Southern California circuit since 2010. He has pocketed 1,532 career winners through Dec. 3.

Rodney Prescott is the Hoosier State's all-time leading rider and has been a consistent top 10 rider at Horseshoe Indianapolis. Prescott has 4,112 career wins through Dec. 3.

Javier Castellano took home last year's Woolf Award.

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2023 George Woolf Award Finalists Announced

Jockeys Daniel Cedeno, Javier Castellano, Terry Houghton, Edwin Maldonado, and Willie Martinez have been named by Santa Anita Park as finalists for the 2023 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. Determined by a vote of their fellow riders nationwide, the Woolf Award can only be won once in a lifetime. It has been presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950. All of the finalists, except Castellano, are appearing on the ballot for the first time.

The Woolf Award was named in honor of the late George Woolf, known as “The Iceman,” who passed away due to a racing accident at Santa Anita in 1946. The first recipient of the award was Gordon Glisson in 1950, while Joe Bravo was the 73rd recipient this past year. The Woolf Award trophy is a replica of the life-sized statue which adorns Santa Anita's Paddock Gardens area.

The 2023 Woolf Award winner will be announced in February.

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DeShawn Parker Honored With 2021 George Woolf Memorial Award

DeShawn Parker, the five foot, 10 inch jockey who in 2010 became the first African American rider since 1895 to lead all American jockeys in races won, can now add another coveted achievement to what has been an incredible career, as he has been selected by a vote of jockeys nationwide as the winner of the 2021 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award.

Presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950, the Woolf Award can only be won once. One of the most prestigious awards in all of racing and named for the legendary late Hall of Fame jockey who gained national fame when an estimated radio audience of 40 million tuned in as he piloted Seabiscuit to victory over Triple Crown Champ War Admiral in a match race at Pimlico Race Course on Nov. 1, 1938, the Woolf Award recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character garner esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

The Woolf Trophy is a replica of the life-sized statue of the legendary George Woolf which adorns Santa Anita's Paddock Gardens area.

A Cincinnati, Ohio native, Parker, 50, outpolled four other Woolf finalists, Alex Birzer, Jorge Martin Bourdieu, Kendrick Carmouche and Aaron Gryder, all of whom have plied their trade with notable distinction at tracks throughout North America.

The 2021 Woolf Award win comes on the heels of the passing of Parker's mentor and father, Daryl Parker. A longtime highly respected Ohio racing steward, Parker passed away from cancer in Cincinnati on March 4.

“My idol, my best friend and a great father!” Parker tweeted on March 5. “He meant so much to my life and my career. I can only hope to be as great as he was. I'm going to miss my Dad so much, but I know he's in a better place with no pain and living his life to the fullest up there, hanging with friends and family and talking up a storm!”

In a sport comprised of much smaller athletes, Parker has long “stood out,” but his character, ability and work ethic are factors that have far out-run initial perceptions that perhaps he was too big to be a jockey. America's leading rider with 377 wins in 2010, he came back to lead all jockeys again in 2011 with 400 trips to the Winner's Circle.

Born Jan. 8, 1971, Parker was a perennial leading rider at Mountaineer Park in West Virginia for more than 20 years. Parker, who through March 16, had 5,841 career wins, has also enjoyed considerable success at Indiana Grand, leading all riders in 2020 and at Sam Houston Race Park, where he was their leading rider in 2015.

Married with two children, Parker lives in East Liverpool, Ohio. The 2020 Woolf Award was won by Luis M. Quinones and DeShawn Parker will thus become the 72nd jockey, dating back to Gordon Glisson in 1950, to be so honored.

Due to uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 restrictions, the 2021 Woolf Award ceremony will be conducted at a date to-be-determined.

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Santa Anita Announces Five Finalists for Woolf Award

Santa Anita has announced a group of five finalists for the 2021 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, with the winner to be announced in February. One of the most prestigious awards for American jockeys, the Woolf Award, which is determined by a vote of jockeys nationwide, can only be won once.

Jockeys Alex Birzer, Jorge Martin Bourdieu, Kendrick Carmouche, Aaron Gryder and Deshawn Parker, veteran riders who have stood the test of time and have earned the respect of their peers and horsemen in various geographic regions, comprise 2021’s select group of Woolf finalists.

Presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950, the Woolf Award recognizes those riders whose careers and personal character garner esteem for the individual and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. The trophy is a replica of the life-sized statue of legendary Hall of Fame jockey George Woolf, which adorns Santa Anita’s Paddock Gardens area. The 2020 Woolf Award was won by Luis M. Quinones and the 2021 winner will become the 72nd jockey, dating back to Gordon Glisson in 1950, to be so honored.

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