| Mario G. Pino | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born | September 8, 1961 Wilmington, Delaware |
| Career wins | 7,001[1] |
| Major racing wins | |
| First Flight Handicap (1984) Violet Handicap (1990) Barbara Fritchie Handicap (1992, 1995, 1999) Maryland Million Classic (1995) Whirlaway Stakes (2002) Busher Stakes (2003) Dearly Precious Stakes (2004, 2008) Obeah Stakes (2004) Victory Ride Stakes (2006) Prioress Breeders' Cup Stakes (2006) Miracle Wood Stakes (2006, 2007) Lane's End Stakes (2007) Lecomte Stakes (2007) Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap (2007) King's Bishop Stakes (2007) Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes (2007) | |
| Significant horses | |
| Sweetnorthernsaint, Hard Spun | |
Mario G. Pino (born September 8, 1961, in Wilmington, Delaware) is a retired jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. Raised on a farm, he began his riding career in 1978 at Delaware Park in Wilmington. Over the years, he has chosen to be based at race tracks close to home and family and has won a number of riding titles at venues in the Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia areas. He rode his first winner aboard Ed's Desire on January 16, 1979, at the now-defunct Bowie Race Track in Bowie, Maryland.[2]
On July 7, 2002, Pino won seven races on a single day at Colonial Downs in New Kent, Virginia, and on October 25, 2003, had a six-win day at Laurel Park Racecourse in Laurel, Maryland. He has twice ridden in the Preakness Stakes, finishing third in 2007 aboard Hard Spun. In his debut in the Kentucky Derby on May 5, 2007, Pino rode the colt to a second-place finish and then was third in the Preakness Stakes. After winning the King's Bishop Stakes and the Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes Pino rode Hard Spun to a second-place finish in that year's Breeders' Cup Classic.
On November 7, 2007, Pino reached 6,000 career wins when he rode Pass Play to victory at Laurel Park Racecourse. On October 20, 2021, he became the tenth jockey in North America to win 7,000 races when his mount Enjoy the Music won a claiming race at Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Pennsylvania. The following day — the closing day of the season at Presque Isle — he told The Blood-Horse that he would retire following that day's races.[3] With one more win at Presque Isle, Pino retired with 7,001 wins and career earnings in excess of $131 million.[1]
Year-end charts
| Chart (2000–present) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2000 | 35 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2001 | 32 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2002 | 29 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2003 | 40 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2004 | 48 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2005 | 48 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2006 | 37 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2007 | 24 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2008 | 75 |
| National Earnings List for Jockeys 2009 | 94 |
References
- 1 2 "Jockey Profile - Mario G. Pino". Equibase. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ↑ "Pino honored by Maryland Jockey Club" (Press release). Maryland Jockey Club. 10 November 2012. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- ↑ King, Byron (21 October 2021). "After 7,000th Win, Pino to Retire After Racing Oct. 21". The Blood-Horse. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
Today will be my last day riding racehorses," he told BloodHorse Thursday. "You know what, I kinda feel satisfied with my career. I really do. I feel like I did what I could do.