Escuela Vocacional Hípica Agustín Mercado Reveron (EVH) is a famous jockey, trainer, and exercise rider academy, located in Canóvanas, Puerto Rico. The academy, which has produced riders such as Irad and José Ortiz, Manuel Franco, and Axel Concepción, has in recent years seen a rise in women graduating as jockeys. The decorated rider Carol Cedeño is the gold-standard graduate of the EVH – but more talented newcomers are starting to make an impression.

In 2022 four female jockeys graduated from the EVH. The 2023 class produced two women riders, and in 2024 two more. Another graduated in 2025, and this year four women are projected to graduate as jockeys.

Officials at Camarero Racetrack in Canóvanas, EVH director Ana Delia Velázquez, and former jockey and EVH instructor Wilfredo Lozano responded to this increase, establishing a series of races called the Jockette Challenge in 2020. This year’s Jockette Challenge will take place Sunday, March 8, 2026. Of the nine races scheduled on that day, four will be challenge races, featuring a dozen female riders as they compete for points to win the series.

The women’s challenge will be held on International Women’s Day, and it is part of a series of events showcasing women across Puerto Rico.

“We have a tradition of hosting jockey challenges at Camarero,” explained Velázquez. “About five years ago we started seeing a rise in female applicants. In response to their interest and to the fact that we are graduating more women riders, we developed this jockey challenge specifically for women to support them in their careers.”

It is still a world dominated mostly by men, and women sometimes to struggle with their own doubts about joining a profession where the majority of jockeys are male. “These doubts, as well as the challenges of finances, of transportation, and of family and child raising, can create challenges for some women,” explained Velázquez. But at the EVH, the women who do enroll enjoy significant support from the professors and director.

“We treat these students the way we would want our own children to be taught and taken care of at school,” said Velázquez.

“The Jockette Challenge is dedicated to showcasing the female jockeys’ talents,” said Lozano, himself a former jockey. “They’re great riders, but there is still discrimination against them within the sport and trainers and owners often favor male jockeys. We really try to support them and help them reach their dreams. In Puerto Rico, Camarero is the only racetrack, and it is hard to get mounts. This series of races lets people see what the women can do.”

But trainers and owners aren’t the only ones watching the women ride. Since the founding of the Jockette Challenge, more and more women have been enrolling in the EVH to become jockeys. “I think when they see Cedeño, the Davis sisters (Katie and Jackie), and all the female riders on the track and see their success, women begin to think about their own futures and they see the possibilities that being a jockey opens up,” Lozano said.

Dalila Rivera (Gonzalo Anteliz Jr.)

According to Lozano, going to the university is often financially difficult in Puerto Rico, and it requires four years of commitment to then enter a labor market where there aren’t many good jobs. While some women turn to cosmology school or nursing school, training to become a jockey or another horse industry professional is often seen as a welcome alternative.

Velázquez echoed Lozano, adding: “Working in a job such as maintenance you earn 10 to 11 dollars an hour. But as a farrier, a good farrier, you can earn eighty dollars shoeing a horse.” Given Puerto Rico’s passion for Thoroughbred racing, attending the academy creates possibilities for these students’ future.

For Dalila Rivera Blanco, who graduated from the EVH in December 2024 and currently rides at Aqueduct, horse racing is a passion profession. Rivera Blanco studied law and got a job in the legal world, but she felt numb. A leisurely trip to Camarero caused Rivera Blanco to change professions. She credits Lozano and the instructors at the EVH for her discipline and for her position in the saddle.

“Horse racing made me really believe in myself. It taught me that I can reach any goal I set out to reach,” Rivera Blanco said. “It also taught me that I can solve my problems. The answers aren’t out there. They must come from within me. And it also taught me to live in the present.”

“Dalila is one of the best jockettes to graduate from the EVH,” said Lozano. “Her discipline is impeccable.”

Rivera Blanco looks forward to participating in the jockey challenge again this year. “It’s a wonderful opportunity and I always get to know new women,” she said. “When we’re all riding, it’s so nice to recognize them and have a familiar face in the locker room. It creates a support network. I am so proud to be riding with great jockeys like Katie and Jackie Davis and Carol Cedeño.”

Sofia Vives, who has been riding for three years, will also be participating in the Jockette Challenge for the first time. “I believe all women are equal in this game. We can ride just like the boys, and I’m going to go out there just like I ride against top riders. I’m gonna go out there, ride my race, be safe, and hopefully we win it,” said Vives. “We’re in this game and we’re plenty capable just like any male rider. Don’t separate yourself – I don’t believe this is a sport where you should separate yourself. I don’t come into work thinking oh, I’m not going to get to ride that one because I’m a girl.” Vives is excited to see Camarero and the island during her stay in Puerto Rico.

Erica Murray (Gonzalo Anteliz Jr.)

Erica Murray, who is currently riding at Fair Grounds, is also traveling to Puerto Rico for the Jockette Challenge. Licensed in 2015, Murray is eager to participate. “I like to participate in any event that promotes horse racing,” she said. “I know horse racing is very popular in Puerto Rico and Camarero Racetrack enjoyed its highest handle last year during the Jockette Challenge – people were really interested in seeing the races.”

Murray also recognizes that while she sees herself as just another jockey, the Jockette Challenge is important in providing a platform for women to show their skills. “I might not have gotten this opportunity if it wasn’t designed specifically for women,” she said. Murray is also honored to participate in the Puerto Rican Jockette Series. “So many great riders have come out of the EVH, there is so much history made there,” said Murray. “I’d like to be on the backside of Camarero one morning just to learn more about what it’s like.”

Murray hopes to see the world riding races, and visiting Puerto Rico was her first trip outside of the U.S. mainland. Last year, Murray won the first race of the Jockette Challenge and came in second overall. “It was amazing, when I won that race I felt like I’d won the freaking (Kentucky) Derby,” exclaimed Murray.

The four races for women riders will take place March 8 and the races begin at 12:15 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the Jockette Challenge via the YouTube channel Hipodromo Camarero Live Stream.