Paco Lopez hits 4000 wins

Paco Lopez reaches 4000 wins

Jockey Paco Lopez celebrates after winning his 4000th race aboard Governor Sam at Keeneland.

Date: 10/06/2024

Jockey Paco Lopez notched career win number 4,000 in the eighth race at Keeneland on Sunday October 6 aboard 5-2 favorite Governor Sam for trainer George Weaver and owners Bregman Family Racing and Swinbank Stables in the $250,000 Indian Summer Stakes presented by Keeneland Select, a 5 1/2 furlong turf sprint for 2-year-olds, after notching his 3,999th win a week on Friday October 4 at Gulfstream Park. He was winless in 4 mounts at Keeneland on Saturday and finished ninth in the 5th race Sunday before finally reaching the milestone. Lopez put the 7-4 favorite on the lead immediately while pressed by 10-1 Floodlights (with Gerardo Corrales aboard), then held off late-running 17-2 Out On Bail (Luis Saez rode) to win by a neck in 1:02.72 over firm going. He is just the 85th jockey to reach the 4,000 win mark, and is one of 27 still active.

Paco Lopez in the winner’s circle after the hitting 4000 wins.

The 38-year-old native of Veracruz, Mexico (who turns 39 on October 17) got his first win at Calder Race Course in 2007. He reached 1,000 wins on August 17, 2012 aboard Whitey’s Gold at Monmouth Park, 2,000 wins on December 4, 2016 at Gulfstream Park aboard Yourdreamsormine, and 3,000 wins on April 10, 2021 aboard Heart of God (by disqualification) also at Gulfstream. After winning his 4,000th, he said, “When you work hard, then coming to America and having the opportunity to ride here, I feel great to have that opportunity every day. Now I’ll try for 5,000.” Describing the race, he added, “(The race) was very good. (Trainer) George (Weaver) said, ‘Paco, the horse is ready. Do whatever you want to do in the race – depending if you get the lead, if you want to sit second, you find out at the break.’ He did it. He’s a very nice colt, and he’s doing very well.”

Paco Lopez wins the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Sprint aboard Roy H.

In terms of wins his best year was 2021 when he won 320 races from 1,240 starts, along with 261 seconds and 213 thirds, with purse earnings of $12.2 million, which was also his best year in earnings. In 2023 he was second in wins with 279 (behind the 367 won by Irad Ortiz Jr.). In 2008 he won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Appprentice Jockey. This year he won his 11th Monmouth Park riding title, two behind Joe Bravo’s record, has won 200+ races 7 years in a row, and sits second in wins in 2024 behind Irad Ortiz Jr. Agent Cory Moran, who has been his agent since he came to America, said, “The only other example I can think of an agent and jockey being together this long was Earlie Fires and his agent (Paul Blair). They were together Fires’ whole career, I think. Usually if a rider wins 2,000, 3,000 or 4,000 races they’ve been through a few agents. When riders are not doing well they’re not happy and they will switch agents. With Paco it has been a steady stream of winning. His work ethic is amazing. He drives me. He’s tireless. If he is not riding he is not happy. He wants to ride every day.”

His best horse to date is Roy H, winner of $1,597,500 with Lopez aboard, including the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Churchill Downs. (Roy H also won the 2017 Sprint at Del Mar but Kent Desormeaux rode). Close behind is Itsmyluckyday, winner of $941,240 including the 2014 Woodward Stakes (G1) at Saratoga, and Pants On Fire, winner of $786,075 including the 2013 Monmouth Cup (G2). The 2018 Sprint is Lopez’s only Breeders’ Cup win, go to with 2nd place finishes in the 2019 Juvenile Turf on Billy Batts and the 2017 Dirt Mile on Sharp Azteca. He rode Wrecking Crew (2019 Juvenile) and Pants on Fire (2014 Dirt Mile) to third place finishes.

Paco Lopez aboard Lord Miles after winning the 2023 Wood Memorial.

At time of writing (October 6, 2024) Lopez has a record of 4,000 wins, 3,138 seconds, and 2,697 thirds in 19,328 rides, with purse earnings of over $150 million. In stakes company he has 402 wins, 308 seconds, and 291 thirds in 2,110 starts, earning $50.2 million. Of those, 740 starts were in graded company, with 103 wins, 97 seconds, and 96 thirds, earning $25.6 million.

Last week as the 4,000th win drew closer, Lopez said, “It’s been a lot of hard work and it seems like it was a long way to get to this point, and I have done it almost the entire time with Cory Moran as my agent. It will be a nice accomplishment to get to 4,000. I started riding at 21 in this country. I’m 38 now. I’m feeling a little old. My motivation is to win races. It doesn’t matter where. And I am trying to win every race I ride.”The thing I am most proud of is my consistency. It’s like any job. You have to be consistent with what you do. I feel I have been consistent. If you combine that with hard work good things will happen. Nothing is given to you. My son is really excited about it. But for me it’s just a number. I just want to keep riding and keep winning.”

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