Much like getting an opportunity to ride in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve, landing an assignment as a jockey in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course is one of the ultimate goals for riders around the country.

This year’s cast of Preakness Stakes jockeys includes a legend from Europe, a rising star from Puerto Rico, and some of the elite U.S. riders from coast to coast.

Let’s take a closer look at each of this year’s Preakness Stakes jockeys, in alphabetical order.

Eclipse Sportswire

Joe Bravo

Age: 52

Originally from: New Jersey

Previous rides in Preakness: 5

Best finish: Fifth in 2012 (Teeth of the Dog)

2024 Preakness horse: Mugatu 

Don’t let the big smile fool you. “Jersey” Joe Bravo might be a jovial, fun-loving rider but he’s also a fierce competitor. Bravo has won more than 5,600 races in a career spanning more than three and a half decades. Many of his career highlights came just down the road from where Bravo grew up, at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., where he has been leading rider 13 times. Bravo’s biggest moment in the saddle was in 2019 when he guided Blue Prize to victory in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff. His best finish in a U.S. Triple Crown race came when third aboard Danza in the 2014 Kentucky Derby. When it comes to the Preakness, Bravo first rode in the race back in 1996. He’s only had four other mounts in the Preakness since then. This year, Bravo gets another shot in the race when he rides longshot Mugatu.

Frankie Dettori (Eclipse Sportswire)

Frankie Dettori

Age: 53

Originally from: Italy

Previous rides in Preakness: 0

Best finish: n/a

2024 Preakness horse: Imagination

Check off another first for Frankie Dettori. A champion rider in Europe, Dettori has more than 3,300 wins and 15 victories in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, but he’s never ridden in the Preakness. That will change Saturday when he’ll be aboard Imagination. The Into Mischief colt won the DK Horse San Felipe Stakes and was the runner-up in the Santa Anita Derby. Dettori announced his retirement last year and spent much of 2023 on an international racing farewell tour, but he ultimately decided to keep riding into 2024. Rather than going back to Europe – where he’s enjoyed much of his success – Dettori opted to stay in America. While winning at a solid 18% clip this year, Dettori pulled off the rare feat of winning six races in a single day last month.

Tyler Gaffalione (Eclipse Sportswire)

Tyler Gaffalione

Age: 29

Originally from: Florida

Previous rides in Preakness: 2

Best finish: Won in 2019 (War of Will)

2024 Preakness horse: Tuscan Gold

Tyler Gaffalione is the second-youngest jockey in this year’s Preakness Stakes and one of only two riders in the race to have won it before. He made his Preakness debut in 2019 and won aboard War of Will. In addition to that victory, Gaffalione has amassed more than 2,300 career victories and he was awarded the Eclipse Award as the top apprentice rider in 2015. Last year, he ranked third by wins North America and second in purse earnings. Gaffalione will have to bring his “A” game on Saturday if he’s going to add a second Preakness victory to his resume. He’ll be riding outsider Tuscan Gold, a third-place finisher in his most recent start in the Twinspires.com Louisiana Derby.

Brian Hernandez Jr. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Brian Hernandez Jr.

Age: 38

Originally from: Louisiana

Previous rides in Preakness: 4

Best finish: Third in in 2022 (Creative Minister)

2024 Preakness horse: Mystik Dan

Until this month Brian Hernandez Jr. was perhaps best known for his 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic win aboard Fort Larned, but the journeyman jockey from Louisiana is now a Kentucky Derby winner. One day after winning the Longines Kentucky Oaks on Thorpedo Anna, Hernandez guided Mystik Dan to victory in the first jewel of the Triple Crown May 4 at Churchill Downs. Hernandez will now try to take down the second leg of this year’s Triple Crown aboard Mystik Dan on Saturday at Pimlico. Right from the start of his career, Hernandez has been one of the most consistent jockeys in the country. In fact, he won an Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey in 2004 in his first full year of riding as a professional. In the years since, he’s racked up more than 2,500 career wins, including more than 75 graded stakes.

Juan Hernandez (Eclipse Sportswire)

Juan Hernandez

NOTE: Morning-line favorite Muth was scratched May 15 after spiking a fever.

Age: 32

Originally from: Mexico

Previous rides in Preakness: 0

Best finish: n/a

2024 Preakness horse: Muth

NOTE:

Juan Hernandez worked his way up through California’s Bay Area circuit at Golden Gate Fields before becoming one of the more consistent riders at bigger tracks like Santa Anita Park and Del Mar. In the last four years, his career has really taken off and Hernandez has regularly found himself in and around the top 10 in the North American jockey rankings for wins and purse earnings, finishing 11^th in both categories in 2023. Hernandez now owns more than 2,600 career wins, and his 90 victories in graded stakes include a Grade 1 win aboard Muth in the Arkansas Derby on March 30. Given his performance in that race, Muth is very likely to go off as the favorite in this year’s Preakness. Hernandez is seeking his first career victory in a Triple Crown race.

Irad Ortiz Jr. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Age: 31

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in Preakness: 5

Best finishes: Second in 2021 (Midnight Bourbon) and 2023 (Blazing Sevens)

2024 Preakness horse: Uncle Heavy

Irad Ortiz Jr. has been second-best in two of the last three editions of the Preakness Stakes. As much as he’d surely like to break through in the race this year, Ortiz will have to pull off an upset to do it aboard Uncle Heavy. The Social Inclusion colt finished a troubled fifth in his most recent race in the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino. Ortiz is a future Hall of Famer who should not be overlooked in any race. Statistically, Ortiz the best all-around jockey in America. At the age of 31, Ortiz is already closing in on his 4,000th career win and in January he landed his fifth Eclipse Award in six years as outstanding North American jockey. His three wins at the 2023 Breeders’ Cup gave Ortiz a total of 20 victories for his career at the World Championships (just seven fewer than all-time leader Mike Smith). His two wins to date in U.S. Triple Crown races both came in the Belmont Stakes.

Flavien Prat (Eclipse Sportswire)

Flavien Prat

Age: 31

Originally from: France

Previous rides in Preakness: 1

Best finish: Won in 2021 (Rombauer)

2024 Preakness horse: Catching Freedom 

A native of France who started his riding career there, Flavien Prat has proved a force in America’s premier races in recent years. Not only is he a Kentucky Derby winner, Prat also won the Preakness Stakes in 2021 when he guided Rombauer to victory in the middle leg of the Triple Crown. Interestingly, one of Prat’s four Grade 1 victories this season came in January in the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes Presented by Baccarat aboard National Treasure, the winner of last year’s Preakness. On Saturday, Prat will ride Catching Freedom after finishing fourth aboard the Constitution colt in the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago.

Joel Rosario (Eclipse Sportswire)

Joel Rosario

Age: 39

Originally from: Dominican Republic

Previous rides in Preakness: 9

Best finish: Second in 2014 (Ride On Curlin), 2015 (Tale of Verve), 2019 (Everfast), and 2022 (Epicenter)

2024 Preakness horse: Just Steel

Joel Rosario was recently elected to the Racing Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. He has won the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes (twice), and 15 races at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The only American classic missing from his 3,600-plus win resume is the Preakness Stakes. That’s not to say he hasn’t come close to capturing the second leg of the Triple Crown. Rosario has four times finished second in the Preakness. On Saturday, he’ll ride Just Steel in the Preakness for legendary trainer D. Wayne Lukas. The Justify colt finished 17th in the Kentucky Derby but had previously finished ahead of Kentucky Derby winner Mystic Dan during a pair of prep races earlier this season at Oaklawn Park, including a runner-up finish to Muth in the Arkansas Derby.

Jaime Torres (Eclipse Sportswire)

Jaime Torres

Age: 25

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in Preakness: 0

Best finish: n/a

2024 Preakness horse: Seize the Grey

It was just two weeks ago on Kentucky Derby day that Jaime Torres won his first graded stakes race in the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by SAP. Now, Torres and the horse aboard whom he won that race, Seize the Grey, are back in the Preakness Stakes. Success has come quickly for Torres, a native of Puerto Rico who began riding professionally in 2022. Last year, he was the leading apprentice rider in New York. On Saturday, Torres will be able to claim another distinction as the youngest jockey in this year’s Preakness Stakes.