Rafael Bejarano

Horseracing personalities infobox


name = Rafael Bejarano
|caption =
occupation = Jockey
birthplace = Arequipa, Arequipa Province, Peru
birth date = June 23, 1982
death date =
career wins = 1,300+ (ongoing)
race = Alcibiades Stakes (2004)
Best Pal Stakes (2008)
Fall Highweight Handicap (2004)
John C. Mabee Handicap (2007)
Lane's End Breeders' Futurity (2004)
Phoenix Breeders' Cup Stakes (2004, 2006)
Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (2005)
Carter Handicap (2005)
Fred W. Hooper Handicap (2005, 2006)
Pennsylvania Derby (2005)
Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes (2005)
San Felipe Stakes (2005)
Shadwell Turf Mile Stakes (2005)
Bashford Manor Stakes (2006)
Derby Trial (2006)
Mrs. Revere Stakes (2006)
Rampart Handicap (2006, 2007)
Blue Grass Stakes (2007)
Rushaway Stakes (2007)
Churchill Distaff Turf Mile Stakes (2007)
Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf (2007)
Old Hat Stakes (2007)
Maid of the Mist Stakes (2007)
Monrovia Handicap (2007)
Honorable Miss Handicap (2007)
Sunshine Millions Distaff (2008)
Las Virgenes Stakes (2008)
Santa Maria Handicap (2008)
Lone Star Derby (2008)
Hollywood Breeders' Cup Oaks (2008)
Ogden Phipps Handicap (2008)
Eddie Read Handicap (2008)

American Classics / Breeders' Cup wins:
Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf (2005)
Breeders' Cup Distaff (2007)
awards = United States Champion Jockey by wins (2004)
honours =
horses = Intercontinental, Circular Quay, Dominican
Country Star, Ginger Punch
updated = April 18, 2007

Rafael Bejarano (born June 23, 1982 in Arequipa, Peru) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. He trained at the Peruvian national riding school before embarking on his professional career in 1999. Having met with success, including winning the apprentice riding title at Hipódromo de Monterrico in Lima, he emigrated to the United States in the spring of 2002 and settled in Louisville, Kentucky. He got his first win on July 10th that year at River Downs in Cincinnati, Ohio and went on to major race wins in Kentucky and on the New York Racing Association circuit.

In 2004, Rafael Bejarano was the United States Champion Jockey by wins with 455. As part of his 2004 success, on March 12th at Turfway Park in Florence, Kentucky he won seven races on a single race card and ended the meet with a track-record 196 wins. In the American Classic Races, he finished eighth aboard Andromeda's Hero in the 2005 Kentucky Derby then rode him to a second place finish in the Belmont Stakes. In the 2006 Derby he finished ninth on Point Determined. He first rode in the Preakness Stakes in 2004 and got his best result in 2005 with a fourth place finish on Sun King.

In the 2007 Blue Grass Stakes Bejarano scored a dramatic upset win with Dominican, defeating the 2006 U.S. Champion 2-year-old colt, Street Sense. Bejarano also won the 2008 Track Meet at Santa Anita. He had a grand total of 67 wins. Also, he won the Hollywood Park meet and Del Mar meet as well.

References

* [http://www.ntra.com/stats_bios.aspx?id=12641 Rafael Bejarano at the NTRA]