Álvaro Pineda (November 9, 1945 – January 18, 1975) was a Mexican jockey who competed in

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 ...

in the

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.Pesar por la muerte de José Alférez - Hipódromo www.oem.com.mx/esto/notas/n619526.htm - 7 Mar 2008 "Un talento comparable solamente con los más grandes jinetes mexicanos como Álvaro Pineda o Víctor Espinosa, " A top jockey in

California California is a state in the Western United States, located along the Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the most populous U.S. state and the 3rd largest by area. It is also the m ...

, in 1966 Álvaro Pineda finished second in wins at

Del Mar Racetrack The Del Mar Fairgrounds is a event venue in Del Mar, California. The annual San Diego County Fair is held here, which was called the Del Mar Fair from 1984 to 2001. In 1936, the Del Mar Racetrack was built by the Thoroughbred Club with foundi ...

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and was the track's leading rider in 1968. He made one appearance in the Kentucky Derby, finishing 13th in 1967. In 1974, Álvaro Pineda's peers voted him the

George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award The George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award has been presented by Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, California, annually since 1950 to the thoroughbred horse racing jockey in North America who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional condu ...

, awarded annually to a jockey in American racing who demonstrates high standards of personal and professional conduct, on and off the racetrack. In early 1975, while competing at

Santa Anita Park Santa Anita Park is a Thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California, United States. It offers some of the prominent horse racing events in the United States during early fall, winter and in spring. The track is home to numerous prestigious races ...

in Arcadia, California, Álvaro Pineda was killed from a blow to his head when his horse, Austin Mittler, reared in the starting gate and flipped over, crushing his head against the steel frame of the gate. In 1978 his younger brother

Roberto The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory, honou ...

, a jockey competing at

Pimlico Race Course Pimlico Race Course is a thoroughbred horse racetrack in Baltimore, Maryland, most famous for hosting the Preakness Stakes. Its name is derived from the 1660s when English settlers named the area where the facility currently stands in honor of Ol ...

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, also died from an accident during a race.

References

Álvaro Pineda accident at The Jockeys Guild

1945 births 1975 deaths American jockeys Mexican emigrants to the United States Mexican jockeys Jockeys who died while racing Sports deaths in California Mexican sportsmen {{Horseracing-bio-stub