Joel Rosario Wins Summer Meet Jockey Title In Return To Del Mar

Iron Man Cal and jockey Joel Rosario win the Grade II $250,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes Saturday, August 29, 2026 at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Del Mar, CA. Co-owner Billy Koch greets the winners as they return after the race for winner circle photos. Benoit Photo

BENOIT PHOTO

Joel Rosario returned as a regular rider at Del Mar for the 2026 Summer Meet and once again captured the title as the leading rider. After stints on both the New York and Kentucky circuits, this veteran jockey came back to Southern California where he had made a name for himself beginning in 2007. Rosario booted home 42 winners at the iconic Seaside Oval and 51% of the horses he rode finished in the top 3. His mounts earned $2,964,832 during 32 days of racing which began on July 17 and ran through September 7.

Del Mar Title Another Accolade For Joel Rosario

Joel Rosario has enjoyed a very successful riding career since coming to the United States in 2006. A native of the Dominican Republic who began riding professionally at age 14, his abilities allowed him to enjoy lots of success. Displaying his talent as an equine pilot, Rosario earned riding titles at Del Mar in 2009, 2010, and 2011 in a highly competitive market. The year 2013 saw him become the first rider to win the Dubai World Cup (Animal Kingdom) and Kentucky Derby (Orb) in the same year and in 2021 he won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s leading jockey. Elected to the Hall of Fame in 2024 in his first year on the ballot, Rosario has become one of the most respected riders in Thoroughbred racing.

“Horses are mirrors of the people they are around and I truly believe Joel gets more out of his mounts because of his wonderful demeanor”, says Doug O’Neill, who utilized Rosario while winning the 2026 Del Mar Summer training title while easily outdistancing the competition. “He is one of the happiest and most grateful jocks around and we love it when he rides our horses.”

Return To Del Mar The Right Move For Hard-Working Rosario

Del Mar has been one of the best places to be in Thoroughbred racing since Bing Crosby opened the gates in 1937. Deemed by many of the participants in the sport as a “working vacation spot”, the track that overlooks the Pacific Ocean was once again a good fit for Joel Rosario.

“Everything about Del Mar is just wonderful”, says Rosario, who has now won 286 races at Del Mar. “The people are great, the competition is top notch, and there are lots of good horses. The track is one of the best and the setting is just terrific.”

Making the move back to where he began riding at the sports highest level was obviously a good choice for a jockey that has put himself among famous riders like Bill Shoemaker at Del Mar. As is the case with any athlete, having the right stuff internally and hard work are key factors to success. For Rosario, neither have ever been questioned and those were both on display during the Summer Meet where the turf meets the surf.

“We came back determined to work hard like we always do”, says Rosario, who has won over 3,600 races in his career. “My agent and I decided we wanted to shift our main base back to Del Mar and we immediately began working horses in the mornings and doing the things we need to do to be successful. I love this game and enjoy riding horses all over the country. We are very proud of our latest accomplishment here at Del Mar and I owe thanks to a lot of people for helping me make it happen.”