Ismael "Milo" Valenzuela
Ismael “Milo” Valenzuela was born in McNary, Texas, in 1934, the third of 22 children in his family. He was competing in match races before his 10th birthday and won his first official race on April 8, 1951, at Rillito Park in Arizona.
2008
Dec. 25, 1934, McNary, Texas
Sept. 2, 2009, Arcadia, California
1951-1980
2,545
$20,122,760
Racing Record
12
Win %
Biography
Ismael “Milo” Valenzuela was born in McNary, Texas, in 1934, the third of 22 children in his family. He was competing in match races before his 10th birthday and won his first official race on April 8, 1951, at Rillito Park in Arizona.
Within a period of a half-dozen years, Valenzuela received two major opportunities to take over as the rider of star horses, and in both cases he came through victoriously. In the spring of 1958, Valenzuela was chosen to ride Calumet Farm’s Kentucky Derby contender Tim Tam when the regular rider was injured a week before the race. Valenzuela won not only the Derby, but also the Preakness on the future Hall of Famer.
Then, in 1962, Valenzuela was tapped by Hall of Fame trainer Carl Hanford to ride two-time Horse of the Year Kelso. With Valenzuela aboard, Kelso lengthened his reign to an unprecedented five consecutive Horse of the Year titles en route to the Hall of Fame. Valenzuela won 19 stakes on the great gelding, including three Jockey Club Gold Cups.
In 1968, Valenzuela teamed with Calumet again to win both the Derby and Preakness a second time, on Forward Pass.
Along with his four victories in Triple Crown races and three wins in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Valenzuela won the Woodward Stakes three times, the Whitney Handicap, San Juan Capistrano Handicap, and San Gabriel Handicap twice each, and single editions of the Coaching Club American Oaks, San Antonio Handicap, Brooklyn Handicap, Toboggan Handicap, Canadian International Stakes, Blue Grass Stakes, and Santa Anita Derby.
Valenzuela won 2,545 races in his career and had purse earnings totaling $20,122,760. He won the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 1963.
Achievements
Triple Crown Highlights
Won the 1958 Kentucky Derby — Tim Tam
Won the 1968 Kentucky Derby — Forward Pass
Won the 1958 Preakness Stakes — Tim Tam
Won the 1968 Preakness Stakes — Forward Pass
Other Highlights
Won the Woodward Stakes — 1956, 1962, 1963
Won the Jockey Club Gold Cup — 1962, 1963, 1964
Won the San Juan Capistrano Handicap — 1958, 1963
Won the San Gabriel Handicap — 1962, 1963
Won the Whitney Handicap — 1963, 1965
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