Winning the Kentucky Derby is the goal of any Thoroughbred jockey due to several factors. First, it’s the most famous and prestigious race in the world, and that’s enough for most riders. Second, it presents a challenge unlike any other race, requiring a jockey to navigate his horse 1 ¼ miles among a field with up to 19 opponents and in front of about 150,000 screaming fans. And, oh yeah, third: the victorious Kentucky Derby jockey will receive approximately 10% of the winner’s share of the purse, or $310,000 out of $3.1 million (from the total purse of $5 million this year).

The roster of accomplished jockeys for the 152^nd Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve May 2 at Churchill Downs includes five riders that have already won this race and seven who are competing in the first leg of the Triple Crown for the first time. Let’s meet them.

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Alex Achard

Age: 34

Originally from: France

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: none

Best finish: n/a

2026 Derby horse: Great White

Alex Achard’s career received a turbo charge April 29 when Great White was added to the Kentucky Derby field after Silent Tactic was withdraw, giving him his first mount in the classic. Achard rode professionally in his home country of France before moving to the U.S. and riding full-time in 2018. He has built a career mainly on the Kentucky and Indiana circuits and has taken the reins on Derby longshot Great White in all four of his career starts to date, three of which have been on Turfway Park’s all-weather track.

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Junior Alvarado

Age: 39

Originally from: Venezuela

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 6

Best finish: 1^st in 2025 (Sovereignty)

2026 Derby horse: Chief Wallabee

Junior Alvarado won his first Kentucky Derby last year aboard eventual Horse of the Year Sovereignty, giving the come-from-behind runner a perfect ride. He’s got a solid chance to go back-to-back with Chief Wallabee, who joined the 2026 Derby field last week off of the also-eligible list. That Florida-based colt has only raced three times but has shown tantalizing potential. Both Chief Wallabee and Sovereignty are trained by Bill Mott, and Alvarado is Mott’s first-call rider – meaning he is option #1 for Mott when choosing a jockey.

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Hector Berrios

Age: 39

Originally from: Chile

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: none

Best finish: n/a

2026 Derby horse: Intrepido

Hector Berrios briefly raced in the U.S. during the early 2010s but spent most of his early career as a successful rider in his home country before coming back in 2018. In 2022, he settled in Southern California and quickly became one of the top jockeys on that competitive circuit. Berrios rode Baeza, one of last year’s leading 3-year-olds, in six of eight 2025 starts but not in the Kentucky Derby, where he finished third. Now, Berrios is set to make his Derby debut aboard Intrepido, a longshot contender who recently finished fourth in the Santa Anita Derby.

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Manny Franco

Age: 31

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 6

Best finish: 2^nd in 2020 (Tiz the Law)

2026 Derby horse: Albus

New York-based Manny Franco has been a fairly regular presence in the Kentucky Derby since 2019, missing only the 2021 and 2024 races. He rode the 2020 Derby post-time favorite, Tiz the Law, to a runner-up finish behind Authentic, which came after Tiz the Law and Franco won the Belmont Stakes in June. In a truly bizarro-world scenario, the Kentucky Derby was held in September that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was the second leg of the Triple Crown followed by the Preakness. Franco will pilot Albus in the 2026 Derby; that improving colt made the field with a sharp win in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino.

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Tyler Gaffalione

Age: 31

Originally from: Florida

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 7

Best finish: 2^nd in 2024 (Sierra Leone)

2026 Derby horse: Ocelli

Tyler Gaffalione has established himself as a leading rider in Kentucky with multiple meet titles at the commonwealth’s two most prestigious tracks, Churchill Downs and Keeneland. He nearly scored his first Derby win two years ago in arguably the most exciting edition of the race this decade, when he urged Sierra Leone through the stretch only to fall a nose short behind Mystik Dan (and finishing a nose in front of Forever Young). Gaffalione was originally tabbed to ride Fulleffort in Derby 152, but that colt was scratched. He picked up the mount on longshot Ocelli, a maiden (winless horse) that drew into the Derby, on April 30.

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Martin Garcia

Age: 41

Originally from: Mexico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 5

Best finish: 3^rd in 2015 (Dortmund)

2026 Derby horse: Litmus Test

Martin Garcia has won some of the sport’s biggest races in his career and will be back for a sixth try in the Kentucky Derby on longshot Litmus Test. From 2009-2015, he was one of Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert’s top jockeys based in California, and he’s recently started to ride more Baffert-trained horses again, including Citizen Bull in last year’s Kentucky Derby. Garcia will be the seventh jockey to get aboard Litmus Test as the colt prepares for his eighth career start. Litmus Test has been inconsistent but has shown flashes of talent and will get both blinkers added and the services of one of the best pace jockeys in the business for Derby 152.

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Brian Hernandez Jr.

Age: 40

Originally from: Louisiana

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 6

Best finish: 1^st in 2024 (Mystik Dan)

2026 Derby horse: Six Speed

Brian Hernandez Jr. has built an award-winning career as a rider primarily in Kentucky and at Fair Grounds in Louisiana during the winter, and in 2024 he reached new heights when winning the Longines Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby within a 26-hour timespan. After guiding eventual Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna to a blowout win in the Oaks, Hernandez gave Mystik Dan a flawless, ground-saving ride and got the jump on the rest of the Kentucky Derby field entering the homestretch – which turned out to be just enough of an advantage to get him to the finish line a nose ahead of Sierra Leone. Hernandez will ride a longshot in Derby 152 as he gets aboard Dubai-based Six Speed, who should be among the early frontrunners.

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Juan Hernandez

Age: 34

Originally from: Mexico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: none

Best finish: n/a

2026 Derby horse: Potente

It’s a bit of a surprise, but 2026 will mark the Kentucky Derby debut for Juan Hernandez, who has been a leading jockey on the Southern California circuit the past several years. He has established a particularly productive relationship with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, a six-time Kentucky Derby winner, and will ride Baffert’s Potente on May 2. That lightly raced and talented colt won the San Felipe Stakes Presented by DK Horse and then finished second in the Santa Anita Derby for Baffert, with Hernandez in the irons for both races.

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Edwin Maldonado

Age: 43

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: none

Best finish: n/a

2026 Derby horse: Pavlovian

Veteran California jockey Edwin Maldonado makes his first Kentucky Derby appearance aboard longshot Pavlovian, who won one of his first eight starts before Maldonado took the reins for the first time in the Sunland Park Derby in February. Horse and rider hit it off, as Maldonado piloted Pavlovian to his first stakes win by a nose, and then the colt arguably ran even better in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby, setting the pace and battling gamely before losing by a head. Maldonado is known for being a good pace jockey – i.e., skilled at getting his horses to run well while on the lead – and expect him to be aggressive riding Pavlovian in the Kentucky Derby.

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Atsuya Nishimura

Age: 26

Originally from: Japan

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: none

Best finish: n/a

2026 Derby horse: Danon Bourbon

Atsuya Nishimura is an unknown to U.S. racing fans as he’s not only scheduled to make his Kentucky Derby debut, he’s about to make his first start in North America. The young rider, a graduate of the Japan Racing Association’s jockey academy, started his career in 2018 and this year is tied for fifth in wins on that circuit (the best one in Japan) through April 19. Nishimura has been aboard undefeated Danon Bourbon for the last two of his three career starts, including a 3 ½-length stakes victory in March at Nakayama Racecourse. Danon Bourbon is Japan-based but Kentucky-bred as a son of $2 million earner Maxfield, a five-time winner at Churchill Downs.

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Irad Ortiz Jr.

Age: 33

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 9

Best finish: 4^th in 2019 (Improbable)

2026 Derby horse: Renegade

Another year passes, and somehow Irad Ortiz, the leading jockey in North America, has yet to finish in the top three in the Kentucky Derby. This is no slight on Ortiz at all, more a reminder of how incredibly difficult it is to win the Derby. In his defense, Ortiz has only ridden the post-time Derby favorite once in nine appearances – and that brought his best result back in 2019 when 4-1 Improbable finished fifth and was moved up to fourth via disqualification. Ortiz has a good chance of riding the 2026 Derby post-time favorite as he’s on Renegade, a colt who has impressively won two prep races this spring with Ortiz in the saddle both times. 

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Jose Ortiz

Age: 32

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 10

Best finish: 2^nd in 2018 (Good Magic)

2026 Derby horse: Golden Tempo

Irad Ortiz Jr.’s younger brother, himself among the top jockeys in North America, has had more success in the Kentucky Derby. Jose Ortiz rode Good Magic to a runner-up Derby finish behind eventual Triple Crown winner Justify in 2018 and has finished third once and fourth once. Ortiz relocated from New York to Kentucky in 2024 and immediately joined the upper echelon of jockeys at Churchill Downs, while wintering at Fair Grounds in Louisiana and leading that track in wins by a large margin in both 2024-’25 and 2025-’26. Ortiz paired up with Golden Tempo at the New Orleans track and has sent him to two wins and two third-place finishes heading into the Kentucky Derby. Look for him to be rallying this deep-closing longshot from the back of the pack in Churchill Downs’ stretch.

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Flavien Prat

Age: 33

Originally from: France

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 8

Best finish: 1^st in 2019 (Country House)

2026 Derby horse: Emerging Market

He’s arguably one of the top two or three jockeys in North America, and one of the most successful Kentucky Derby riders in recent years as well. Flavien Prat has a record of one win, one second, and four thirds in eight overall starts in the race, and last year he rallied Baeza to just miss finishing second by a neck. Prat’s Derby win came via disqualification as Country House was moved from second to first back in 2019 after Maximum Security was taken down for interference with several horses (but not Country House). Prat will ride Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby winner Emerging Market in this year’s Kentucky Derby. That colt comes into the race off of only two career starts, both wins with Prat aboard.

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Luis Saez

Age: 33

Originally from: Panama

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 12

Best finish: 3^rd in 2021 (Essential Quality)

2026 Derby horse: Commandment

Luis Saez experienced the thrill of riding a Kentucky Derby winner for around 18 minutes back in 2019, only to have Maximum Security taken down from first and placed 17^th in the field due to an incident in upper stretch where he interfered with several horses. Saez has been one of the most successful jockeys in North America for more than 10 years and on May 2 he’ll have arguably his best chance at grabbing that elusive Derby win since he rode post-time favorite and third-place finisher Essential Quality in 2021. Saez is scheduled to take the reins on Commandment for the first time in the Derby, and the colt comes into the run for the roses on a four-race winning streak, including game victories in the Coolmore Fountain of Youth Stakes and Curlin Florida Derby Presented by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms at Xalapa.

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Ryusei Sakai

Age: 28

Originally from: Japan

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 1

Best finish: 3^rd in 2024 (Forever Young)

2026 Derby horse: Wonder Dean

Sakai, one of the leading riders in his home country of Japan, made a very good impression on U.S. racing fans in his Kentucky Derby debut two years ago. He rode Forever Young to a thrilling third-place finish in the Derby, rallying the colt from off of the pace to finish a head behind winner Mystik Dan and a nose behind runner-up Sierra Leone. Sakai and Forever Young have since teamed up to win the $20 million Saudi Cup twice and also last year’s Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic. The talented jockey now gets aboard another Japan-bred and -based runner, Wonder Dean, for the first time in the Kentucky Derby. Wonder Dean comes in off of a grinding win in the UAE Derby Sponsored by Jumeirah.

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Mike Smith

Age: 59

Originally from: New Mexico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 28

Best finish: 1^st in 2005 (Giacomo) and 2018 (Justify)

2026 Derby horse: So Happy

If Mike Smith wins his third Kentucky Derby on May 2, he’ll become the oldest jockey to do so, surpassing Bill Shoemaker. That legendary California-based rider won aboard Ferdinand in 1986 at age 54. Smith is already the second-oldest jockey to win the Derby, having done so at age 52 on eventual Triple Crown winner Justify back in 2018. “Big Money Mike” has not had a mount in the past three Derbys but is back this year with a leading contender in Santa Anita Derby winner So Happy, a colt he has ridden in all four career starts.

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Cristian Torres

Age: 28

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 0

Best finish: n/a

2026 Derby horse: Robusta

Cristian Torres emerged as a successful young jockey at Oaklawn Park, winning two consecutive riding titles at the Arkansas track in 2022-’23 and 2023-’24. He successfully relocated to Kentucky during the summer and fall months while Oaklawn is dark and established relationships riding for some of the circuit’s top trainers. Earlier this year, Torres rode Silent Tactic to a Derby prep win and two prep runner-up finishes at Oaklawn, and had the assignment in the Kentucky Derby, but Silent Tactic was scratched. On May 1, Torres was named as a late substitution on California-based longshot Robusta after that colt entered the Derby field due to another scratch.  

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Jaime Torres

Age: 27

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: none

Best finish: n/a

2026 Derby horse: Incredibolt

Jaime Torres is no relation to Cristian but has in common with that colleague a rising career trajectory. He’s already captured a Triple Crown race, guiding Seize the Grey to a gate-to-wire win in the 2024 Preakness Stakes for legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas. That was the 15^th and final Triple Crown race victory for Lukas, who died last June at age 89. Torres has paired up well with talented Incredibolt, steering him to wins last fall in the Street Sense Stakes at Churchill Downs and the Virginia Derby Presented by New Kent County this March at Colonial Downs. Incredibolt and Albus are the first two Kentucky Derby horses for young trainer Riley Mott, son of Bill Mott.

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John Velazquez

Age: 54

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Kentucky Derby: 26

Best finish: 1^st in 2011 (Animal Kingdom), 2017 (Always Dreaming), and 2020 (Authentic)

2026 Derby horse: Further Ado

At this point in his career, if Hall of Famer John Velazquez is assigned a Kentucky Derby contender, chances are good that it’s going to be among the morning-line favorites. In the past 10 years, he’s picked up his third and fourth Derby wins and also been aboard a first-place finisher in 2021’s Medina Spirit that was subsequently disqualified due to a medication violation. Velazquez did not participate in the 2025 Derby as his assigned mount was scratched, but he’s back in 2026 aboard “buzz horse” Further Ado. He’ll ride that colt for the first time in the Kentucky Derby and will seek to summon a performance similar to Further Ado’s blowout 11-length win in the recent Toyota Blue Grass Stakes.