Avelino Gomez (1928 – June 21, 1980) was a

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

n-born Hall of Fame jockey in American and Canadian

thoroughbred horse racing Thoroughbred racing is a sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport – flat racing and jump racing, the latter known as National Hunt racing in ...

. Born in

Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.

, Gomez began a career as a jockey at the urging of a family member. He won his first race in Mexico City and later moved to the United States, where he built a reputation as a very capable rider, gaining considerable attention after winning six races during one racecard at Ascot Park in

Akron, Ohio Akron () is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Summit County. It is located on the western edge of the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau, about south of downtown Cleveland. As of the 2020 Census, the city prop ...

. He eventually began riding at

Woodbine Racetrack Woodbine Racetrack is a race track for Thoroughbred horse racing in the Etobicoke area of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Woodbine Entertainment Group, Woodbine Racetrack manages and hosts Canada's most famous race, the King's Plate. The tra ...

in Toronto,

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

, where he made his home and became a dominant force in racing for more than twenty years. Avelino Gomez WoodbineStatue

Canada's top jockey on seven occasions, in 1966 Gomez became the first jockey in Canadian racing history to win 300 races in a single season. His 318 wins that year were tops in North America. His win percentage of .32 for the 1966 season was the highest ever for a North American champion, a record that still stands. He was a four-time winner of Canada's most prestigious race, the

Queen's Plate The King's Plate (known as the Queen's Plate between 1860 to 1901 and 1952 to 2022) is Canada's oldest Thoroughbred horse race, having been founded in 1860. It is also the oldest continuously run race in North America. It is run at a distance of ...

, and the winner of the 1977 Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey. In 1978, Gomez was recognized with the

Sovereign Award {{refimprove, date=October 2021 The Sovereign Award is given annually since 1975 by the Jockey Club of Canada to the outstanding horses and people in Canadian Thoroughbred racing. The most prestigious award for horses is Sovereign Horse of the Y ...

of Merit for his lifetime contribution to the sport. He was elected to the

Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the sport of harness and Thoroughbred horse racing in Canada. It is located at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. The ...

in 1977, the U.S. National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1982, the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1990, and the

Ontario Sports Hall of Fame The Ontario Sports Hall of Fame is an association dedicated to honouring athletes and personalities with outstanding achievement in sports in Ontario, Canada. The hall of fame was established in 1994 by Bruce Prentice, following his 15-year tenure ...

in 1997. Gomez died of complications after a three-horse accident during the running of the

Canadian Oaks The Woodbine Oaks is a Canadian Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto, Ontario. Inaugurated in 1956, it is the premier event for Canadian-foaled three-year-old fillies and the first leg of the Canadian Triple Tiara s ...

in 1980. He had won 4,081 races with a 24% winning percentage. The

Avelino Gomez Memorial Award The Avelino Gomez Memorial Award is a Canadian thoroughbred horse racing honour given annually to a jockey who is Canadian-born, Canadian-raised, or a regular in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sp ...

is given annually to the person, Canadian-born, Canadian-raised, or a regular rider in the country for more than five years, who has made significant contributions to the sport. A life-size statue of Gomez can be seen at Woodbine Racetrack.

References

External links

Avelino Gomez at the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame

Avelino Gomez at the United States National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gomez, Avelino 1928 births 1980 deaths Accidental deaths in Ontario Animal sportspeople from Ontario Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductees Cuban emigrants to Canada Cuban jockeys Jockeys who died while racing Sportspeople from Havana Sovereign Award winners Sport deaths in Canada United States Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame inductees Cuban expatriates in the United States