Joe Bravo

A third-generation jockey, "Jersey Joe," a native of Long Branch, has been a dominant rider in his home state for 20 years. He has been the leading rider at Monmouth 13 times and the Meadowlands champion nine times. His first Grade 1 winner was Formal Gold in the 1997 Donn Handicap. Bravo had a strong 2011 season, riding Sean Avery to a win in the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga, a victory in the Grade 2 Belmont Futurity on Jack's in the Deck and three Grade 3 wins on Little Mike.

Bravo won a career-best six Grade 1 races in 2015, including two each with Sheer Drama and Big Blue Kitten, the latter the 2015 champion turf male. He also reached a new career top for purse earnings in a single season in 2015 as his mounts earned $8,398,877.