Eddie Belmonte
Eddie Belmonte(born February 5, 1943, inSanturce, San Juan, Puerto Rico) is a retiredjockeywho competed at the highest levels inThoroughbred horse racingin his native Puerto Rico and in theUnited States.
After much success riding in Puerto Rico, Eddie Belmonte came to the United States in the latter part of 1964 to compete atNew Yorkand area racetracks. He was the first Puerto Rican jockey to compete in theKentucky Derby,riding Exhibitionist in the 1966 running of theAmerican Classic.His crowning career achievement came as the jockey ofPersonality,winner of the 1970Preakness Stakesand that year'sEclipse AwardforAmerican Horse of the Year.
In addition to riding in New York, Belmonte rode successfully at tracks inNew Jersey,Florida,andCalifornia.On February 17, 1972, he rode five winners in a single day atSanta Anita ParkinArcadia, California.[1]In October 1973, Belmonte traveled toLongchamp RacecourseinParis,Franceto ride in the prestigiousPrix de l'Arc de Triomphe.Aboard El Famoso, he finished out of the money.[2]
Eddie Belmonte retired as a jockey in 1976 and later worked as a riding instructor and jockeys' agent.[3]He attempted a comeback in 1977[4]but on April 18, after winning a race atAqueduct Racetrack,Belmonte suddenly collapsed and fell from his horse. His collapse came about as a result of an effort to meet riding weight limits through a dieting process that brought rapid weight loss. [5]
Selected other wins:
- Queens County Handicap(1965)
- Adirondack Stakes(1966, 1971)
- Derby Trial Stakes(1966)
- Gravesend Handicap(1966)
- Santa Catalina Stakes(1966)
- Jim Dandy Stakes(1967, 1973)
- Lamplighter Stakes(1967)
- Sport Page Handicap(1967)
- Test Stakes(1967, 1969, 1970)
- Bowling Green Handicap(1968)
- Discovery Handicap(1968)
- Red Smith Handicap(1968)
- Stymie Handicap(1968)
- Californian Stakes(1969)
- Comely Stakes(1969)
- Miss Woodford Stakes(1969)
- San Felipe Stakes(1969)
- Santa Ysabel Stakes(1969, 1971)
- Saranac Stakes(1969)
- Schuylerville Stakes(1969)
- Arlington Classic(1970)
- Display Handicap(1970)
- Stuyvesant Handicap(1970)
- Baldwin Stakes(1971)
- San Gorgonio Handicap(1972)
- San Gabriel Handicap(1972)
- San Marcos Stakes(1972)
- Santa Paula Stakes(1972)
- Santa Ana Handicap(1973)
- La Brea Stakes(1975)
References
[edit]- ^Hebert, Bob (February 18, 1972)."Belmonte Boots in Five Winners".Los Angeles Times.Archived fromthe originalon 2012-10-22.Retrieved2009-08-25.
- ^"Bubbly Win For Rheingold".Sports Illustrated. October 15, 1973. Archived fromthe originalon October 25, 2012.Retrieved2009-08-25.
- ^"Eddie Belmonte profile (Spanish language)".SportPRNews.com. 12 October 2008. Archived fromthe originalon 16 July 2011.Retrieved2009-05-13.
- ^Cady, Steve (February 17, 1977)."Belmonte Sweating Out Another Comeback".New York Times.Retrieved2009-08-25.
- ^Eskenazi, Gerald (April 19, 1977)."Belmonte Wins at Big A, Then Collapses".New York Times.Retrieved2009-08-25.
 | This horse racing biographical article is astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | This biographical article relating to a sportsperson from Puerto Rico is astub.You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |