Harry Vega is an American jockey

Jockey

A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...

 in Thoroughbred horse racing.

Vega began his riding career in Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

 in 1983 then in the late 1980s moved to compete at tracks on the Northeast coast of the United States

East Coast of the United States

The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...

. A winner of more than 3,500 races in his career to date, in 2006 his 22.7 winning percetage was ninth best among all jockeys in the United States.

Harry Vega is best known as the jockey of Xtra Heat

Xtra Heat

Xtra Heat is a retired American Thoroughbred Champion filly racehorse. She was owned by Kenneth Taylor, Harry Deitchman, and her trainer, John Salzman, Sr....

. Aboard the filly, he in 2002 he won the Barbara Fritchie Handicap

Barbara Fritchie Handicap

The Barbara Fritchie Handicap is an American race for Thoroughbred horses run at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland each year. A Grade II, this race is open to fillies and mares, age three and up, willing to race seven furlongs on the dirt and offers a purse of $300,000.The race is run in...

, the Genuine Risk Handicap

Genuine Risk Handicap

The Genuine Risk Handicap is a race for thoroughbred race horses, open to fillies and mares age three and up. The race is run each spring at six furlongs on the dirt at Belmont Park in New York and offers a purse of $150,000....

 and Vagrancy Handicap

Vagrancy Handicap

The Vagrancy Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at the end of May/early June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. The event is open to fillies and mares, age three and older...

  and the Endine Stakes

Endine Stakes

The Endine Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race held annually in mid September at Delaware Park Racetrack in Stanton, Delaware. A Grade III six furlong sprint on dirt, the race is open to fillies and mares age three and older....

 at Delaware Park Racetrack.

After Vega married fellow jockey Amy Duross they were banned by Suffolk Downs

Suffolk Downs

Suffolk Downs, a thoroughbred race track in East Boston, Massachusetts, United States opened in 1935. Famous horses that have raced at this track include Seabiscuit, Whirlaway, Funny Cide and Cigar. The MassCap is held there, as well at the annual Hot Dog Safari...

 officials from riding in the same race until the Massachusetts

Massachusetts

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...

 State Racing Commission ruled they could.

Year-end charts

{|class="wikitable sortable"
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!Chart (2000–present)
!Peak
position
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2000
| style="text-align:center;"|75
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2001
| style="text-align:center;"|40
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2002
| style="text-align:center;"|71
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2004
| style="text-align:center;"|99
|-
|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2005
| style="text-align:center;"|65
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2006
| style="text-align:center;"|91
|-
|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2007
| style="text-align:center;"|49
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2008
| style="text-align:center;"|100
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2009
| style="text-align:center;"|78