Jockey Calvin Borel
Born: 11/07/66, Martinsville, Louisiana
Resides: Louisville, Kentucky
Family: Unmarried
Enjoying still another banner Oaklawn Park season in 2008, Borel finished third in the final jockey standings. His 42 winners for the 53-day meeting placed him behind Eusebio Razo, Jr., 49, and former Spa champ Luis Quinonez, 47.
“I am pleased with my many seasons at Oaklawn and I’m looking forward to the coming meeting here in 2009,” said Calvin.
Reflecting on his total career, Borel reminded, “the big moment came at Louisville in 2007.”
The first Saturday in May of the 2007 racing season was like a dream come true for Borel when he rode Street Sense to triumph in the Kentucky Derby. Soon after the memorable ride, he and fiancé Lisa Funk were invited to the White House for a white-tie dinner honored Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, who had attended her first Derby.
His riding feats at Oaklawn are legendary. A versatile veteran, Borel had almost identical Spa career winning percents in route as sprints.
At Oaklawn in 2008, Borel’s 42 winners included the Pippin Stakes aboard Kettleonecup and the Razorback on Jonesboro. The rider had 260 mounts here as his horses earned $1,068,864.
“I’ve had some big days on Jonesboro,” reminded the jockey.
In 1995 Borel won the local riding championship, dethroning Pat Day after the latter four-times Eclipse winner had led every Oaklawn meeting since 1982. Calvin won a second Spa crown in 2001.
Becoming the 45th North American rider in history to score 4,000 wins at recognized tracks, Borel reached that milestone at Oaklawn, February 16, 2005 He had posted win 3,000 at Oaklawn, attaining that number March 25, 1999.
“I’m happy that I reached 4,000 at Oaklawn because this is a great group of riders to be a part of here,” he enthused.
But, the 2007 season is one he will likely some day tell his grand children about.
Nationally, it followed 2006 when he fashioned 139 winners from 973 winners as his mounts earned $6,453,908. By early October of 2007, his horses had already gone over $7 million in earnings.
Not only did he win the Kentucky Derby on Street Sense, but later in the season added the Travers and Jim Dandy on that outstanding three-year-old.
Of late, racing fans will recall him winning the Alabama, Dogwood and Banshee Breeze aboard Lady Joanne, the Sword Dancer Invitational on Grand Couturier, La Troinne on Silverinyourpocket, Louisville Breeders’ Cup astride Fiery Pursuit and the Sixty Sails atop Kettleoneup.
Calvin was honored with the 2007 ESPY Award for top jockey as well as the 2007 National Turf Writers Association “Mr. Fitz”Award for typifying the spirit of horse racing.
He has won titles at various meetings; three times at Louisiana Downs. He topped the standings as Delta and Evangeline, the 2000 fall meeting at Turfway, the 1999 Churchill Downs fall season and Ellis Park in 1996.
In his home state of Louisiana, Calvin began riding match races at unrecognized meetings when only eight years old.
“All I ever wanted to be was a jockey,” he said. “A lot of kids make plans to be firemen, cowboys, or astronauts, but I knew early, I wanted to ride races.”
When asked some memorable moments in his career, the jockey answered, “Street Sense and Lady Joanne, what a pair! Winning the Kentucky Derby is always first on the list of thrills. Going farther back, I certainly remember riding Halo America, a tremendous mare. Also the stakes on Hot Jaws in the 1995 Count Fleet Sprint. l also recall that big upset here on Rockamundo in the Arkansas Derby, winning the Super Derby on Free Spirit's Joy and the Oaklawn Handicap on K One King. I won several stakes on Bluffy in Kentucky and the Deleware Oaks on Nickel Classic. There have been a lot of big moments.Maybe I should have kept a diary.”