BY GULFSTREAM PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
HALLANDALE BEACH, FL—No one has gotten off to a hotter start at the 2025-2026 Championship Meet than jockey Emisael Jaramillo.
Entering the first full month of the 84-day stand, which opened Thanksgiving Day, the 48-year-old Jaramillo leads the rider standings with seven wins and more than $498,160 in purses earned from 21 mounts.
What’s more, Jaramillo has won three of the meet’s first six stakes including the $300,000 FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes My Dear Girl with Florida-bred Mythical, Sabal Palm and Islamorada overnight handicaps respectively with Florida-breds Prevent and Great Venezuela.
“I am getting opportunities and I have been able to take advantage of them,” Jaramillo said. “I have more experience now than when I was 25 and coming from Venezuela. It’s been a long time I’ve been riding in the United States and the results are coming because I am getting good opportunities. When you have that you can show your ability.”
Jaramillo was already an accomplished rider with 13 year-end titles in Venezuela, where he is the all-time leading rider with more than 4,000 wins. He made intermittent trips to the U.S. between 2000 and 2012 before arriving full-time in 2015. He owns nearly 1,900 wins and more than $60.7 million in purses earned in North America.
Since his arrival, Jaramillo has become a year-round force at Gulfstream. A three-time Venezuelan Triple Crown winner, he owns 18 graded-stakes wins in the U.S. including four with Florida-bred X Y Jet and most recently with Mythical in the Aug. 3 Adirondack (G3) at Saratoga.
Jaramillo was particularly thrilled to get the call on Great Venezuela from trainer Victor Barboza Jr. for her ninth career win. She has been ridden in 13 of her 16 career starts by Leonel Reyes, who is out indefinitely following a Nov. 2 spill at Gulfstream.
“I have wanted for a long time the opportunity to ride Great Venezuela. Leonel has been her official rider but unfortunately, he had an accident a few weeks ago. Hopefully he is back soon,” Jaramillo said. “I am very thankful for the opportunity.”
Jaramillo won 40 races and nearly $1.5 million in purses at the 2024-2025 Championship Meet. Among his victories were the $75,000 Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf with Florida-bred Ashima and on Florida-brd K. C. Chief in the $65,400 Mucho Gusto starter handicap.
“Every jockey brings their own skills and when you get the opportunity you can show them,” he said. “I just want to work hard and do the best I can for every trainer and owner that gives me the chance to ride their horses.”
Return to the December 3 issue of Wire to Wire
