Jose Antonio Gomez

A Michigan native, Gomez won the 2022 Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey after winning win 153 races that year while competing throughout the year on the ultra-competitive New York Racing Association circuit and riding at Parx Racing on dark days. Gomez earned $7,647,616, the most among apprentice riders in North America in 2022.

Gomez gets his work ethic and love of Thoroughbred racing from his parents, who both were backstretch workers. His mother, Anamaria Benitez, worked as a groom and his late father, Luis Gomez, was an exercise rider. Both put in long hours and instilled in their son an appreciation for the fruits of hard work.

He earned his first win on Top Gun Tommy for trainer and mentor Kelly Breen on Oct. 28, 2021, at Belmont Park. His first career stakes win came aboard Dark Money in the Kelly Kip Stakes March 26, 2022, at Aqueduct.