The New York Racing Association welcomed three-time Eclipse Award-winning jockey Ramon Dominguez to the Saratoga Walk of Fame Aug. 25.
The Saratoga Walk of Fame, which opened in 2015, honors and showcases the achievements of those who have made significant contributions to the sport of Thoroughbred racing and the advancement of the Saratoga Race Course.
Prior to the opening of the Saratoga Walk of Fame, the tradition of recognizing the greats of the game started in 2013 with the Red Jacket Ceremony, named for the eponymous blazer awarded the recipients.
The plaque for Dominguez was unveiled Friday during the Red Jacket Ceremony at Saratoga, and was later installed in the Saratoga Walk of Fame. During the induction ceremony, Dominguez received an emblematic Saratoga red jacket.
"There are few individuals who can claim to be a standard bearer of modern racing, and Ramon is certainly one of them. Beloved by fans and fellow riders, Ramon set a standard of excellence throughout his career, to which all jockeys aspire," said New York Racing Association chief executive officer and president Chris Kay. "The Saratoga Walk of Fame is designed to pay special tribute to the greats of the game, and to those who have made significant contributions to Thoroughbred racing. It is with great pleasure that we welcome Ramon, one of the most talented riders in racing history, to take his place alongside heroes and leaders of the sport."
Dominguez, a world-class jockey who began riding horses in Venezuela at age 16, was the leading rider on the New York circuit from 2009-12 and won 20 individual meet titles. Dominguez won 4,985 races and earned nearly $200 million in purses. He received the Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey in 2010, 2011, and 2012.
Dominguez delivered many memorable moments for fans at Saratoga, including when he won six races in a single day on two separate occasions. He is the only jockey to accomplish the feat. Dominguez announced his retirement in 2013 following injuries sustained in an accident at Aqueduct Racetrack. He was inducted to the National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame in 2016.
"I am honored to join such legendary riders as Johnny Velazquez, Jerry (Bailey), and Angel (Cordero) in the Saratoga Walk of Fame," Dominguez said. "To be considered in the same company as these three giants of the sport is truly humbling and gratifying. I would like to thank the New York Racing Association and the greatest fans in the world for their support during my racing career. I am incredibly lucky to have been able to live my dream, and am forever grateful to receive this recognition."
Past Red Jacket honorees include all-time Saratoga leading riders Velazquez, Bailey, and Cordero in 2013; Hall of Fame trainers D. Wayne Lukas and Allen Jerkens, and longtime NYRA race caller Tom Durkin in 2014; owners Ogden "Dinny" Mills Phipps and Marylou Whitney in 2015; and owner W. Cothran "Cot" Campbell and trainer Bill Mott in 2016.
