Jockey Eddie Razo Jr
Born: 01/21/1966, Mexico City, Mexico
Resides: Long Grove, Illinois
Family: Doreen, wife; Nicholas, son
Riding his second full season at Oaklawn, Eddie Razo, Jr. captured the 2008 jockey championship. He finished with 49 winners as Luis Quinonez, 47, wound up second and Calvin Borel, 42, third.
“You never start any meeting, even thinking about a title. I came to Oaklawn just hoping to do well,” said Razo, a top rider on the Chicago circuit.
Eddie had 257 mounts at last year’s Oaklawn meeting, his horsesearning $1,222,065. His 49 winners included four added-money events.
He rode Liberty Bull to victory in the Smarty Jones, Ginger Bay to a dead-head (with Classify) in the Spring Fever, Junior College to win the Hot Springs and Graeme Six to take the Carousel.
Said Lindy McDaniel, agent for Razo since 1999, when we started the meeting we didn’t set a goal on trying to win any certain number of races, but we figured we would be in the thick of things. We had a good meeting at Oaklawn in 2007 and knew that in 2008 we’d be riding for more stables.”
Riding regularly at Oaklawn for the first time in 2007, Razo enjoyed an excellent Spa meeting. Accepting 200 mounts, he rode 35 winners to finish in fifth place on the final standings. His horses earned $824,962.
In 2007, the stylish reinsman finished behind Luis Quinonez, John Jacinto, Calvin Borel and Tim Doocy.
“When riding at Oaklawn, I know I am in excellent company,” said Razo, who is called “Eddie”, rather than Eusebio.
The rider is out of Mexico.
“I began my jockey career at the Hipodromo de Las Americus track in Mexico City. I rode there for three years. But even back then, I knew that some day I wanted to come to the United States and ride,” remembers Razo.
Eddie avows that it wasn’t easy making the switch from riding in Mexico City to becoming a regular in the United States.
The rider advised that he makes his home in Long Grove, Illinois.
“When I came here from Mexico, I spoke no English.I began galloping horses at Arlington Park, then an agent took me to Ellis Park,” recalls Razo.
He won some races at Ellis and eventually returned to Chicago.
“Balmoral was running thoroughbreds then and going against Arlington.I went to Balmoral and began to do some good and steadily worked my way into the Chicago major circuit,” he said.
He reflected that Steve Specht and Moses Yanez, a couple of trainers, helped him get established.
Razo is from a family of horsemen. His father, Razo, Sr., is currently a trainer. Several of his uncles rode races.
A big day in Eddie’s riding career came in 1997 when his mount, Hunk of Class dead-heated with Bet on Sunshine in the Arlington Breeders’ Cup Sprint on the Arlington Million undercard.
He won career victory 2,000 on December 12, 2003, this happening at Hawthorne Race Course on a horse named Shadoc.
Razo won the Grade II $350,000 Washington Park Handicap on Eye of The Tiger and the Grade III $150,000 Arlington-Washington Breeders’ Cup Futurity aboard Three Hour Nap.