Joel Rosario and Frosted are led to the winner's circle following the Grade 1 Wood Memorial Stakes on April 4 at Aqueduct. (Photo by Eclipse Sportswire)

Joel Rosario has won some of the highest-profile races in the world. He exudes confidence. Polite and humble, he sits down to talk with me and smiles. I am jolted when I realize that he is only 30 years old. He grew up on a farm in the Dominican Republic, where he learned to ride bareback when he was 4 years old. He did not come from a horse racing family. No one in his family was a jockey. They were farmers and had good land. They grew cacao among other things.

Joel thought he wanted to play baseball, but he was small. So his brother took him to jockey school.  This was a new world for Joel. He did have a horse while he was growing up, and his eyes twinkled when he said that he “rode fast all the time.” His mom did not want him to become a jockey. He started riding Thoroughbreds at 13 years old. The school taught him the various skills of riding. He laughed when he said he learned “how not to fall off!” 

Joel was only 13 years old when he won his first race for his friend’s barn. He said it was a very close race and that he had to work hard. But you always remember your first win. He vividly remembers coming into the winner’s circle for the first time. 

Once Joel started winning, he kept going. He was the leading rider in Santa Domingo four times. In 2006, he moved to California and rode at Golden Gate Fields and Bay Meadows Race Course. 

I was kind of curious which of his high-profile wins would be his favorite. I was expecting it to be the 2013 Dubai World Cup at Meydan Racecourse when he rode Animal Kingdom. Maybe it would be the 2014 Belmont Stakes when he rode the elegant Tonalist and crushed the Triple Crown dream of California Chrome. Would it be his 2014 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint win on Bobby’s Kitten? He didn’t even stop to think.

“The Kentucky Derby,” he said. “When you win the Derby, it is the best! For me, I still can’t believe it!”

The photographers were thrilled because Joel celebrated when he won and raised his fist.  He said, “I was so happy but the rest of it is a blur.” I remember how excited we were for him when he came around the first turn as he brought Orb back to the winner’s circle for the blanket of roses. The crowd cheered loudly and it was a very popular win.

Joel said that the best part of any race is “any kind of race that you win.” He assured me that he can hear the crowd when he is riding on the track. He loved the track in Dubai and said the crowd was very loud. 

Orb, Animal Kingdom and Twirling Candy were some of his favorite horses to ride. “All the horses have personalities. They have feelings. They are professional and they are very smart!”

Courtesy of Julie June Stewart

Is he looking forward to riding Frosted in the Kentucky Derby? I know this is a common question, but I wanted to see what his reaction would be. He stared at the table for a moment and then looked up with his eyes dancing. “I am looking forward to one race at a time.”

I was grateful for the time I spent with Joel. I have been watching him race all across the country and know how skilled he is. A friend in the industry told me that Joel is one of the few jockeys that can “carry a horse to a win like Hall of Fame jockeys Laffit Pincay Jr. and Angel Cordero Jr.” He explained to me that this is a rare skill and it means that Joel is not only talented but a very gifted rider.

He must have learned his lessons well when he was a young boy in jockey school. He has had more than 10,700 starts in which he has won more than 2,000 races. Joel’s message to young kids in jockey school today is: “If you work hard, nothing is impossible.” His journey from the Dominican Republic into the international world of horse racing is certainly inspirational, especially for young jockeys learning their craft. You never know when that ride will lead you to the run for the roses. 

ROSARIO ABOARD FROSTED AFTER WOOD MEMORIAL WIN 

Photo by Eclipse Sportswire