Alberto Delgado, who earned the Eclipse Award as champion apprentice jockey in 1982, announced his retirement following the second race at Laurel Park on Sunday. Delgado shared, “This has been a long time coming. For years, I felt like I was retired but not in the way I wanted, mainly due to injuries and concussions. At times, I was too heavy and needed to step back and get everything right. Last year, I kept telling myself it would be my final year, and I had to prepare mentally for it. I enjoy retirement, but eventually, you have to stop. I can’t keep this up.”
A second-generation jockey from Carolina, Puerto Rico, Delgado quickly became popular from his first race and secured 245 wins in his Eclipse Award-winning season. On August 16, he rode a horse with five consecutive Delaware wins and then succeeded again at Timonium. He surpassed 200 wins annually for the next four years. In a 1982 Washington Post article, his agent Joe Monaghan praised him as the best apprentice jockey seen since Chris McCarron. Jockey Charlie Cooke highlighted Delgado’s natural horse sense and quick decision-making, while trainer Richard Dutrow Sr. commended his skills, comparing him to great riders like McCarron and Sandy Hawley.
Delgado faced setbacks with collarbone breaks in 1987 and 1988, which affected his confidence, yet he regained it, winning over 120 races per year from 1993 to 1996. A significant career highlight was leading Oliver’s Twist to victory in the G3 Federico Tesio Stakes in 1995 and then achieving second place in the G1 Preakness Stakes. Delgado recalled his faith in Oliver’s Twist’s talent in that race. In 2013, Delgado rode California Chrome in five of the horse’s first six races, including a win in the Graduation Stakes at Hollywood Park, recognizing early on the horse’s exceptional potential. California Chrome later won the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Preakness, earning almost $15 million before retirement.
Ending his career with 2,951 wins from 25,534 rides and total earnings exceeding $42 million, Delgado’s record includes 115 stakes victories and five Maryland Million Race wins. His final mount, Besharite, trained by his wife Allison, finished fourth. Delgado reflected emotionally on retirement, admitting he now understands the feelings of retiring athletes he once mocked for their tears. He plans to transition into training and jokingly noted it might be tough not to be hard on horses coming back. His advice to young jockeys is to “Ride every race like it’s your last.”
After a heartfelt post-race interview and standing ovation, Delgado, 61, symbolically passed the torch to 17-year-old apprentice Yedsit Hazlewood, top rider at Laurel Fall Meeting and a 2025 Eclipse Award contender. Delgado won his first race on April 12 of his rookie year, just days after Hazlewood’s first race at Laurel. “I’m passing the torch,” Delgado stated.
Fan Take: Alberto Delgado’s retirement marks the end of an era for horse racing, as one of its most resilient and talented jockeys steps down. His legacy inspires both seasoned riders and newcomers, promising a bright future as fresh talent like Yedsit Hazlewood steps into the spotlight, ensuring the sport’s continued excitement and evolution.
