Luis Contreras (jockey)

Luis Contreras (born March 14, 1986) is a Mexican thoroughbred jockey since 2006. After starting his career in Mexico, Contreras started competing in the United States and Canada during the late 2000s. For his graded stakes race career, Contreras has won forty Grade III races, twenty two Grade II races and four Grade I races. At the 2011 Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, Contreras won the Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes, and Breeders' Stakes. He became the first jockey to use two horses to win the Canadian Triple Crown. In 2014, Contreras came short of another Canadian Triple Crown after finishing tenth at the Breeders' Stakes following wins at the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales.

As part of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, Contreras's best results were third at the 2014 Preakness Stakes and sixth at the 2018 Kentucky Derby. At the Canadian Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing, Contreras won the Woodbine Oaks and Bison City Stakes in 2011 and was fourth at the Wonder Where Stakes that year. After winning the Woodbine Oaks and Wonder Where Stakes in 2017, he was fifth that year at the Bison City Stakes. For the American Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing, Contreras placed sixth at the 2011 Alabama Stakes. With his Breeders' Cup races between 2011 and 2018, his highest finish was runner-up at the Filly and Mare Sprint event at the 2017 Breeders' Cup. While winning over 2,400 races in his career, Contreras received the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2011 and 2012.

Early life

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On March 14, 1986, Contreras was born in Mexico City, Mexico.[1] Growing up, Contreras had hundreds of wins in Mexico after he started his jockey career as a teenager.[2] While racing in Mexico, Contreras had two runner-ups and one top five finish in 2006.[3]

Racing career

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Contreras began competing in the United States in 2007 at races held in California and New Mexico.[2] That year, his victories at Golden Gate Fields in 2007 gave Contreras his first American race win and first stakes race win.[4][5] In 2008, Contreras had his first ever graded stakes race win at the 2008 El Camino Real Derby as a Grade III race.[6][7]

From 2009 to 2010, Contreras was a jockey for Steve Asmussen in Toronto while on a work permit before he was fired by Asmussen.[8] In 2010, Contreras could work solely for non-Canadian trainers due to his permit.[9] That year, Contreras thought about leaving Canada before he received an open work permit.[8] Throughout his career, Contreras won at least one Grade III race consecutively between 2011 and 2023. Of his forty Grade III wins, Contreras has won the Seaway Stakes three times.[10]

Contreras won his first of twenty two Grade II events at the 2009 Dance Smartly Stakes. From 2011 to 2022, he was first in at least one Grade II race except for 2020.[10] During this time period, Contreras has won the Canadian Stakes four times.[11] As a Grade I racer, Contreras's first win was at the 2014 Carter Handicap.[12] Contreras additionally won the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes consecutively from 2017 to 2018 and the 2019 E. P. Taylor Stakes.[13][14]

Triple Crowns

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At the Canadian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, Contreras was the 2011 Canadian Triple Crown winner with his wins at the Queen's Plate, Prince of Wales Stakes and Breeders' Stakes.[15] With Inglorious and Pender Harbour, Contreras was the first jockey to use two horses to win the Canadian Triple Crown.[16] In 2014, Contreras re-won the Breeders' Stakes after having top three finishes at the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales.[17] During the 2016 Triple Crown, Contreras was the winner at the Prince of Wales and the runner-up at the Queen's Plate.[18]

In 2017, Contreras missed his second Triple Crown after he was tenth at the Breeders' Stakes following his wins at the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales.[19] In 2018, Contreras was runner-up at the Queen's Plate and Prince of Wales.[20] The following year, Contreras was second at the Breeders' Stakes and third at the Queen's Plate.[21] Additional top three finishes by Contreras were first place at the 2020 Breeders' Stakes and third place at the 2021 Queen's Plate.[22][23] In the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing, Contreras was eighteenth at the 2012 Kentucky Derby and sixth at the 2018 Kentucky Derby.[24][25] At the Preakness Stakes, Contreras had a third-place finish at the 2014 Preakness Stakes and was sixth during the 2018 Preakness Stakes.[26]

Triple Tiaras

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For the Canadian Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing, Contreras won both the Woodbine Oaks and the Bison City Stakes in 2011.[27][28] Contreras did not win the 2011 Triple Tiara after he finished fourth at the Wonder Where Stakes.[29][30] Contreras was the runner-up at Woodbine Oaks in 2012 and 2016.[31][32] He also finished second at Bison City in 2014.[33] In 2017, Contreras won the Woodbine Oaks and Wonder Where Stakes while coming in fifth at Bison City.[34] At the American Triple Tiara of Thoroughbred Racing, Contreras was sixth at the 2011 Alabama Stakes.[35][36]

Breeders' Cup

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Competing in the Breeders' Cup Challenge, Contreras qualified for the Juvenile Fillies Turf event at the 2011 Breeders' Cup with his win at the Natalma Stakes.[37] After he did not appear at the Juvenile Fillies Turf event, Contreras was seventh in the Juvenile Fillies race and thirteenth at the Juvenile event.[38][39] In other Breeders' Cup editions, Contreras was sixth in the Juvenile event at the 2012 Breeders' Cup.[31] In the Turf Sprint, Contreras had a fourth-place finish at the 2016 Breeders' Cup.[32]

The following year, Contreras was runner-up at the Filly and Mare Sprint event during the 2017 Breeders' Cup.[40] While at the 2018 Breeders' Cup, Contreras raced at the Juvenile, Sprint and Dirt Mile. During these events, Contreras was third in the dirt mile, eighth in the sprint and eleventh in the juvenile.[41]

Overall performance

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In December 2018, Contreras won his 2,000th North American race while competing at Woodbine Racetrack.[42] During his career, Contreras has won more than 2,400 races and accumulated over $104 million in prize winnings.[43] In Equibase rankings for North American jockeys, his best performances were a seventh place earnings rank in 2011 and a thirteenth place wins rank in 2017.[44] Contreras also received the Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey in 2011 and 2012.[45]

References

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  1. ^ "Oaklawn 2019 Media Guide" (PDF) (Press release). Oaklawn Racing. p. 34. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Luis Contreras". America's Best Racing. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Luis Contreras". Equibase. 2006. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  4. ^ Lomon, Chris (4 July 2013). "Outstanding Jockey – Luis Contreras". Canadian Thoroughbred. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Contreras celebrate milestone victory at Woodbine". Woodbine Racetrack. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Contreras Named Jockeys' Guild Jockey of the Week". Paulick Report. November 10, 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  7. ^ Dybdal, Chuck (March 8, 2008). "Autism Awareness takes El Camino Real". ESPN. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  8. ^ a b Smith, Beverley (2 April 2011). "Contreras lands on his feet". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  9. ^ Smith, Beverley (4 August 2011). "When the Sheriff saddles up, he rides to win". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Luis Contreras Graded Stakes Wins:". Equibase. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  11. ^ "Canadian S. Presented by the Japan Racing Association (Gr. 2)". Equibase. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  12. ^ Crosby, Claire (April 5, 2014). "Dads Caps Gets His Due in Carter Upset". Bloodhorse. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  13. ^ "Northern Dancer Turf Stakes (Gr. 1)". Equibase. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  14. ^ "Starship Jubilee the star of the E.P. Taylor Stakes show". Woodbine Racetrack. October 12, 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  15. ^ "Contreras leads Pender Harbour to Breeders' Stakes win". CP24. August 7, 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  16. ^ "Contreras named Canadian racing's top jockey". Sportsnet. April 6, 2012. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  17. ^ Whyno, Stephen (August 17, 2014). "Ami's Holiday wins Breeders' Stakes". The Toronto Star. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  18. ^ Ralph, Dan (July 26, 2016). "Luis Contreras takes Amis Gizmo to dominant win in Prince of Wales Stakes". The Toronto Star. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  19. ^ Ralph, Dan (August 20, 2017). "Channel Maker wins Breeders' Stakes to take final jewel". The Toronto Star. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  20. ^ Clipperton, Joshua (August 18, 2018). "Neepawa surges to wire-to-wire victory at 128th Breeders' Stakes". CBC. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  21. ^ "Tone Broke wins Breeders' Stakes for two-thirds of Canadian Triple Crown". TSN. August 17, 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Belichick wins Breeders' Stakes, Mighty Heart denied Canadian Triple Crown". TSN. 24 October 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Queen's Plate S. (BT) - 2021". BloodHorse. August 22, 2021. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  24. ^ "Triple Crown Fast Facts". CNN. September 28, 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  25. ^ "Jockeys, Kentucky Derby (1875-2019)" (PDF) (Press release). Kentucky Derby. Contreras, Luis (2-0-0-0). Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  26. ^ "Preakness Media Guide 2019" (PDF) (Press release). Pimlico. p. P-57. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  27. ^ "Inglorious captures $500,000 Woodbine Oaks". CBC. Jun 5, 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  28. ^ Shiner, Jack (July 3, 2011). "Bear It's Time Gets Up for Bison City Win". Bloodhorse. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  29. ^ "WOODBINE - July 31, 2011 - Race 8". Equibase. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  30. ^ "Big stakes victory for Husbands". Jamaica Gleaner. August 2, 2011. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  31. ^ a b "Luis Contreras". Equibase. 2012. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  32. ^ a b "Luis Contreras". Equibase. 2016. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  33. ^ Shinar, Jack (July 13, 2014). "No Catching Unspurned in Bison City Stakes". Bloodhorse. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  34. ^ "Luis Contreras". Equibase. 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
  35. ^ "Royal Delta wins Alabama". Newsday. August 20, 2011. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  36. ^ Bossert, Jerry (August 21, 2011). "Delta rolls in 'Bama". New York Daily News. p. 75.
  37. ^ Shandler, Jason (September 17, 2011). "Natalma Win Earns Northern passion BC Berth". Bloodhorse. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  38. ^ "Churchill Downs - November 4, 2011 - Race 6". Equibase. November 4, 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  39. ^ "Luis Contreras". Equibase. 2011. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  40. ^ "Luis Contreras". Equibase. 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  41. ^ "Luis Contreras". Equibase. 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2021.
  42. ^ "Luis Contreras Scores 2,000th Career Win". Canadian Thoroughbred. December 17, 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  43. ^ "Luis Contreras Statistics". Equibase. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  44. ^ "Luis Contreras Achievements". Equibase. Achievements. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
  45. ^ "Sovereign Awards - Past Award Winners". The Jockey Club Canada. Retrieved 18 August 2020.
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