Jockey Bios

Luis Saez

Born: May 19, 1992, in Panama City, Panama

Record at Keeneland

Total Wins: 168

Stakes Wins: 24

Career Firsts

First Grade 1 Win: 2013 Travers aboard Will Take Charge

First Stakes Win: 2009 Needles Stakes at Calder aboard Cinnamon Road

First Graded Stakes Win: 2010 Tropical Park Handicap (G3) at Calder aboard Twilight Meteor

First Career Win: (in U.S.): Aug. 20, 2009, on Fearless Honor at Calder

Starters in the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes

Year	Horse	Finish
2023	Tapit Trice	Won
2022	Emmanuel	3rd
2021	Essential Quality	Won
2019	So Alive	6th
2018	Sporting Chance	3rd
2016	Brody's Cause	Won

At Keeneland

Two titles as leading rider (2021 Spring, 2022 Fall).

During the 2023 Fall meet, won the Darley Alcibiades (G1) on Candied, the Perryville (L) on Raise Cain and the Bowman Mill on Glengarry.

21 wins during 2022 Fall Meet included three wins on closing day. Rode Delight to win the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine (G2) during the season.

During the 2022 Spring Meet, won the Maker's Mark Mile (G1) on Shirl's Speight and the Elkhorn (G2) on Channel Maker.

29 wins during 2021 Spring Meet include four stakes: Toyota Blue Grass (G2) on Elusive Quality, Appalachian (G2) Presented by Japan Racing Association on Jouster, Elkhorn (G2) on Say the Word and Beaumont (G3) Presented by Keeneland Select on Twenty Carat.

Won five stakes during Fall Stars Weekend on the opening three days of the 2020 Fall Meet. On Friday, he took the Darley Alcibiades on Simply Ravishing. On Saturday, he won the Claiborne Breeders' Futurity (G1) on Esential Quality and the Woodford (G2) Presented by Keeneland Select on Leinster. On Sunday, he captured the Juddmonte Spinster (G1) on Valiance and the Bourbon (G3) on Mutasaabeq.

Rode Essential Quality to win his next start, the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) at Keeneland.

First Keeneland win came during the 2013 Fall Meet.

First Keeneland stakes win was the 2015 Shadwell Turf Mile (G1) on Grand Arch.

Rode Brody's Cause to win the 2016 Toyota Blue Grass (G1).

Career

Triple Crown win: 2021 Belmont on Essential Quality.

Breeders' Cup win: 2020 Juvenile on Essential Quality.

North American career earnings exceed $207 million with 3,456 wins through Mar. 31, 2024.

Posted 3,000th victory on June 5, 2022, at Belmont Park on Funny Joke in the sixth race.

Rode Maximum Security to win the world's richest horse race, the $20 million Saudi Cup, in February 2020.

Recorded 2,000th win Nov. 9, 2018, at Aqueduct when he won the fourth race on Y'allcomenow.

Equaled Gulfstream Park record when he rode seven winners there on Jan. 24, 2018.

Won five races at Belmont on May 31, 2013, that included back-to-back dead-heat wins.

Click here for his Equibase career record.

Background

Luis grew up on a farm in Panama and graduated from the famous Laffit Pincay Jr. Jockey School there in Dec. 2009. He won 37 races in his native country before coming to the U.S. to begin riding at Calder.