Mike Venezia Memorial Award
Encyclopedia
Mike Venezia Memorial Award is an American
Thoroughbred horse racing
honor given annually by the New York Racing Association
to honor a jockey
s who exemplifies extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship. The award was created in 1989 to honor the memory of jockey Mike Venezia
, who was killed in a racing accident in October, 1988 at Belmont Park
.
The award is determined by voting from jockeys, turf writers and racing fans. The winner is announced in July of each year and at a ceremony held in the fall, each recipient receives a 13-inch bronze sculpture
with a title that reads, "The Jockey, A Champion."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Thoroughbred horse racing
Thoroughbred horse race
Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...
honor given annually by the New York Racing Association
New York Racing Association
The New York Racing Association, Inc. is the not-for-profit corporation that operates the three largest thoroughbred horse-racing tracks in the state of New York. It runs Aqueduct Racetrack in South Ozone Park, Queens, Belmont Park in Elmont, Long Island , and Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga...
to honor a 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:...
s who exemplifies extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship. The award was created in 1989 to honor the memory of jockey Mike Venezia
Mike Venezia
Michael Joseph Venezia was an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey who was killed in a racing accident....
, who was killed in a racing accident in October, 1988 at Belmont Park
Belmont Park
Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...
.
The award is determined by voting from jockeys, turf writers and racing fans. The winner is announced in July of each year and at a ceremony held in the fall, each recipient receives a 13-inch bronze sculpture
Bronze sculpture
Bronze is the most popular metal for cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply a "bronze".Common bronze alloys have the unusual and desirable property of expanding slightly just before they set, thus filling the finest details of a mold. Then, as the bronze cools, it...
with a title that reads, "The Jockey, A Champion."
Recipients
- 1989 : Mike VeneziaMike VeneziaMichael Joseph Venezia was an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey who was killed in a racing accident....
(posthumously) - 1990 : Bill Shoemaker
- 1991 : Chris McCarronChris McCarronChristopher John "Chris" McCarron is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing Hall of Fame jockey. He is currently working as a racing analyst for TVG Network....
- 1992 : Angel Cordero, Jr.
- 1993 : Jerry Bailey
- 1994 : Mike E. Smith
- 1995 : Pat DayPat DayPatrick Alan "Pat" Day is an American jockey. He is a four-time winner of the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey and was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1991...
- 1996 : Laffit Pincay, Jr.Laffit Pincay, Jr.Laffit Alejandro Pincay, Jr. is a flat racing's all-time winningest jockey. He competed primarily in the United States.-Career:...
- 1997 : Robbie DavisRobbie DavisRobbie Glen Davis is a retired American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey.-Early life:Davis grew up in a single parent household forced onto welfare, something that would impact him for the rest of his life....
- 1998 : Eddie MapleEddie MapleEdward Retz "Eddie" Maple is a retired American thoroughbred horse racing jockey. One of eight brothers and sisters, he was an older brother to jockey Sam Maple who won more than 2,500 races. He began riding horses at age 12 and won his first race as a professional at 17...
- 1999 : Gary L. Stevens
- 2000 : Jorge F. ChavezJorge F. ChavezJorge F. Chavez is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.Chavez began his career in horse racing in 1982 in his native Peru and by 1987 was his country's leading rider. In April 1988 he emigrated to the United States where he raced with a great deal of success at Florida race tracks...
- 2001 : Mike LuzziMike LuzziMichael Jude Luzzi is an American jockey. He grew up near Delaware Park Racetrack where his grandfather, trainer Buddy Raines, had a major role in raising him and his brother John who also became a jockey...
- 2002 : Dean Kutz
- 2003 : Richard Migliore
- 2004 : Patti CookseyPatricia CookseyPatricia Joen Cooksey is an American horse racing jockey. She first won with Turf Advisor at Waterford Park in 1979. She is a four-time Turfway Park leading rider. Cooksey has won 2,137 wins since beginning her career in 1979...
- 2005 : No award given
- 2006 : Edgar Prado