Spectators watch a horse race at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on April 30, 2025. Junior Alvarado, a jockey from Venezuela, makes his technique to second place earlier than crossing the end line.
Lydia Schweickart for NPR
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Lydia Schweickart for NPR
LOUISVILLE — As a younger boy in Venezuela, Junior Alvarado wished to observe in his father’s footsteps and be a profitable jockey.
He began as what he referred to as a “backboy” within the racing stables in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. He remembered listening to about this large race referred to as the Kentucky Derby.
“We did not have a lot entry to observe every other races, however the Kentucky Derby was the well-known race,” Alvarado stated. “As soon as I grew to become a jockey, I believed my solely likelihood to win that race — I needed to go to america and I needed to make it there. And that is what I did.”
Alvarado, 38, has now competed within the Kentucky Derby 5 instances. He hopes to be the primary to dart previous the tall white “FINISH” publish this weekend on a bay horse, No. 18 Sovereignty, throughout his sixth run.
Jockey Junior Alvarado (38) poses for a portrait within the jockey quarters of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on April 30, 2025.
Lydia Schweickart for NPR
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Lydia Schweickart for NPR
Nineteen jockeys are slated to load into the green-and-white metallic gates on the well-known Churchill Downs racetrack this Saturday night. Their horses will bullet down the 1 1/4-mile sandy observe at a velocity of 35 miles an hour. It is the one shot to win $5 million and one of the crucial coveted titles in American horseracing.
Most of these competing this weekend in Kentucky hail from around the globe. The American Enterprise Immigration Coalition estimates jockeys on visas account for as much as 70% of U.S. opponents.
Now, because the Trump administration goals to crack down on many types of migration, these within the business financial institution their athletes will likely be spared from regulatory modifications. However some throughout the nation are already feeling the ache of residing in limbo.
Many riders come from Mexico, Panama and Venezuela, the place there are established jockey academies. Different Latino jockeys are U.S.-born, together with from Puerto Rico.
“In Venezuela in addition to many different Central and South American nations, horse racing is an enormous sport. It is the same as American soccer,” stated Ramon Dominguez, a retired jockey from Venezuela and member of the U.S. racing Corridor of Fame. “A whole lot of the children develop up with the dream of sooner or later turning into a jockey.”
Program numbers, discovered on every race horses’ saddlecloth, are laid out on a desk within the jockey quarters of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., on April 30, 2025.
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Lydia Schweickart for NPR
Rising in prominence within the business
The Latino presence in American horseracing has advanced over time. From the grooms to among the winningest jockeys, Latinos have risen in prominence.
Jockeys from overseas are primarily in a position to get their foot within the door competing within the U.S. by utilizing the P visa for athletes and O visa for people with extraordinary achievement.
Present and former jockeys stated that to compete means sacrifice, leaving households behind and coaching lengthy hours to change into the perfect of the perfect.
“Our racing scene has been very a lot enriched by jockeys from all nations,” stated Bonnie Smerdon, an immigration legal professional who helps jockeys with their visas and has been within the business for nearly 10 years. “I am doing increasingly more jockey visas than (once I) began out in my profession.”
Whereas many come on visas, Smerdon stated there are different avenues. For instance, she has one shopper from Venezuela on Momentary Protected Standing, a parole program the Trump administration revoked, risking the work authorization of a whole lot of hundreds of immigrants.
Alvarado, the Venezuelan jockey, stated the alternatives which can be getting denied are “heartbreaking.” He is aware of jockeys in limbo with their immigration standing.
“A whole lot of these are superb athletes. They need to higher themselves,” Alvarado stated.
Smerdon stated she has been in a position to get all her purchasers’ visas authorised to usher in extra athletes to the U.S., regardless of the Trump administration’s current crackdowns.
“It takes individuals from all around the world”
Others within the business agree their business is untouched to date.
Mindy Coleman, basic counsel of the Jockeys’ Guild, helps jockeys course of their immigration paperwork.
She stated it could already be sophisticated to request an athlete visa for a jockey as a result of the game may be very distinctive — every athlete can compete for a number of completely different trainers and on a number of horses.
Mindy Coleman talks with invited visitors at Jocktails, a charity bartending occasion that helps the Completely Disabled Jockeys Fund, on April 30, 2025.
Lydia Schweickart
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Lydia Schweickart
These within the business concern future restrictions on visas based mostly on nation of origin, or any limits to international expertise.
“I do not need there to be extra restrictions in reviewing these petitions when they’re initially submitted,” Coleman stated, noting she is thorough in offering background for the immigration brokers.
“It is a gorgeous, great week,” she stated concerning the races main as much as the Kentucky Derby. “However fairly frankly it takes individuals from all around the world with the intention to have this quickest two minutes in sports activities in Kentucky.”
One purpose international athletes compete within the U.S. is that many skew smaller and lighter than the common American, she stated, making them extra aggressive within the race.
Jockey faculties in locations like Panama additionally assist form a high-caliber expertise pool.
“What Latin America is sending us is their highest-trained professionals and individuals who change into influential, who give again to america, who change into our heroes,” stated Gabi Kuzenzli, affiliate professor on the College of South Carolina specializing in Latin American historical past and sports activities. “What individuals do not realize is we’re speaking about profitable trainers, homeowners, jockeys, assistant trainers. It is a website of Latino excellence.”
A jockey trains earlier than dawn on a horseracing observe in Louisville, Ky., on April 30, 2025.
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Lydia Schweickart for NPR
Jockeys flock to alternatives within the U.S.
One such jockey is Javier Castellano, 47, who apprenticed in competitions in Venezuela and got here to the U.S. at age 19. Since then, he has received 6,000 races, competed within the Kentucky Derby 16 instances, received as soon as in 2023 and is hoping to land one other title on Saturday evening.
“I had heard that within the U.S. there was an enormous scene for worldwide equestrian alternatives and I wished to strive my luck right here within the U.S.,” Castellano stated, noting that his success in Venezuela was the launching level to compete in America. “I needed to undergo the identical course of as any immigrant of not understanding the language; it is a completely different tradition, completely different meals.”
At first, he got here on a vacationer visa after which secured a lawyer to assist him full the mandatory paperwork to compete within the U.S. Castellano stated the U.S. affords extra tracks and horses the place jockeys can compete, in comparison with among the South American nations jockeys come from.
“God has blessed me with the reward of with the ability to journey horses and work in one thing I really like,” Castellano stated. He’ll take to the observe on No. 20, a three-year-old bay horse named Owen Almighty.
Martin Garcia (40), a jockey from Veracruz, Mexico, discusses his experiences using in competitions on the bottom of a horse racing observe in Louisville, Ky., on April 30, 2025. Garcia entered the nation 15 years in the past and will likely be competing in his fourth Kentucky Derby.
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There are lots of pathways to the coveted observe in Louisville. Martin Garcia, 40, using No. 1 Citizen Bull, is from Veracruz, Mexico, and can compete in his fourth Kentucky Derby. Garcia stated he entered the nation illegally about 15 years in the past, however is now a citizen.
“I’m actually excited that I can journey a horse like these which can be right here and that I’ve the chance as a result of there are a lot of proficient jockeys,” Garcia stated.
He grew up round horses on a ranch in Mexico however fell into being knowledgeable jockey as soon as within the U.S. He now rides a whole lot of races a yr.
“When I’m on a horse, my thoughts is clean; you must observe the rhythm of the horse,” Garcia stated. “It’s such a singular sport.”
The Louisville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce honored three Latino jockeys on April 30, 2025, at their 2025 Derby Pitch occasion, together with Joel Rosario from the Dominican Republic, and Mario Gutierrez from Mexico.
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Honoring Latinos’ contributions
Forward of Derby evening, three Latino jockeys, two that are using this weekend, had been honored by the Louisville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on stage — their many accolades listed off on stage.
“With out our jockeys, we’d not have a Kentucky Derby,” stated Hank Enright, one of many occasion emcees. “So it is essential we take a pause and thank these unsung heroes for essentially the most thrilling two minutes of sports activities.”
One jockey honored was Joel Rosario, who will take to the observe aboard No. 14 Tiztastic for an additional shot at profitable (he received in 2013). Rosario began using on the age of 13 within the Dominican Republic and about 20 years in the past he got here to the U.S. on a visa to compete.
Joel Rosario, a horseracing jockey from the Dominican Republic, poses for a portrait on the Pace Artwork Museum in Louisville, Ky. Rosario was honored by the Louisville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at their 2025 Derby Pitch occasion on April 30, 2025.
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“At first, it was slightly troublesome. I believed for a bit that it could be higher to return to the Dominican Republic,” Rosario instructed NPR on the occasion. “However I stored working, and was supported by the homeowners and trainers.”
Now, Rosario stated he has received extra races than he ever thought potential. He sees his story as a profitable jockey as an immigrant story, too.
Rosario stated he is seen a rise in Latino jockeys during the last 20 years. “U.S. Latinos have continued advancing and succeeding right here within the U.S.,” he stated, “And I would like it to all the time be that method.”
