Jockey Luis Quinonez

RESIDES: Jones, Oklahoma BORN: 01/06/67, Sinaloa, Mexico FAMILY: Gedda, wife; Lexie, Alayna Marie, daughters; Nathan and Ryan, sons

Luis Quinonez's name is very  familiar to racing fans at Oaklawn. He won the 2007 Spa jockey titile by riding 52 winners from 292 mounts as his horses earned $1,238,200.

"I came close to this title a year before," remembered Quinonez.

A year earlier, Quinonez lost the Oaklawn crown to John Jacinto, getting nipped the final day of the meeting, 45-44. 

In 2008 he finished runner-up for the crown, 49-47, losing out to Eusebio Razo, Jr. He had 275 mounts as his horses earned a meeting high $1,343,581.

"I had a good meeting in 2008 winning stakes here," he recalled.

Luis rode Carson’s Legacy to victory in the Dixieland, Sky Mom to triumph in a division of the Martha Washington, Classify to a dead-heat score in the Spring Fever and Latana Mob to first place in the Bachelor.

In 2009,Quinonez will be riding at Oaklawn for the twelth straight season.

The oldest of three jockey brothers, Quinonez’ circuit is Oaklawn, Prairie Meadows and Remington.

At Oaklawn in 2007 he won the Pippin on Plaid and the Fifth Season astride Silent Pleasure.

A year earlier at the Spa, his “big horse” was More Moonlight, on whom he won the American Beauty and Spring Fever. He captured the Martha Washington on Brownie Points.

Canterbury Downs opened in 1995 and Luis won five straight riding titles there, 1995-1999. He was soon being hailed as the “riding king of Minnesota.”

The jockey insists that much of his saddle success need be credited to his long time agent Gerry DiLaura.

“He gets me on horses and I ride them,” smiled the rider.