The venue for this Saturday’s Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets might be different but the goal remains the same for the 10 jockeys who’ll enter the starting gate for the final leg of racing’s Triple Crown in 2024. Winning the Belmont Stakes is a major achievement and most riders would put it at the very top of their resume.

Four of the 10 jockeys in this year’s Belmont Stakes, being hosted for the first time by Saratoga Race Course, can already claim the distinction of having won New York’s biggest race. Not only is this year’s field extremely deep with talent, it’s also diverse. There’s a jockey originally from Panama and another from Venezuela. Two of the riders in the race are originally from France, while Puerto Rico is represented by four jockeys — one of whom is slated to ride in his first career Belmont.

Each of this year’s Belmont Stakes jockeys has been on incredible journey that has brought them to this moment. Let’s take a closer look at the riders set to compete in this year’s race.

Junior Alvarado (Eclipse Sportswire)

Junior Alvarado

Age: 38

Originally from: Venezuela

Previous rides in the Belmont: 2

Best finish: Sixth in 2012 (Unstoppable U)

2024 Belmont horse: Resilience

One of several top riders originally from Venezuela, Junior Alvarado has had success across multiple racing circuits in his career including Chicago, Florida, and New York. In 2023, Alvarado had his best year to date, earning $13,396,688 while winning the Big Ass Fans Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile aboard fan favorite Cody’s Wish and the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Just F Y I. Surprisingly, Alvarado has only had two other previous opportunities to ride in the Belmont Stakes. He’ll hope to break through this year when he rides Resilience. After winning the Wood Memorial Stakes Presented by Resorts World Casino in New York, Resilience ran a very respectable sixth in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve.

Manny Franco (Eclipse Sportswire)

Manny Franco

Age: 29

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Belmont: 4

Best finish: Won in 2020 (Tiz the Law)

2024 Belmont horse: The Wine Steward

The title of “most underrated jockey” in this year’s Belmont Stakes field might just go to Manny Franco. Like many of racing’s top riders, Franco started out at the jockey school in Puerto Rico. In 2013, he moved to New York and within a couple of years he was thriving. In 2018 and 2019, he led the competitive NYRA colony by wins with a combined 456 victories. He's finished in the top ten nationally in purse earnings every year since 2016. Franco also enjoyed success with his very first Belmont Stakes mount in 2020, when he guided Tiz the Law to victory. This year, he’ll be riding an outsider in the Belmont Stakes, The Wine Steward. After winning his first three races, The Wine Steward has finished second in each of his three most recent starts.

Tyler Gaffalione (Eclipse Sportswire)

Tyler Gaffalione

Age: 29

Originally from: Florida

Previous rides in the Belmont: 1

Best finish: Ninth in 2019 (War of Will)

2024 Belmont horse: Protective

Tyler Gaffalione has had a fairly eventful Triple Crown run thus far in 2024. He finished second aboard Sierra Leone in the Kentucky Derby and was the subject of some controversy in that race, having been involved in some late jostling with third-place finisher Forever Young. Two weeks later, Gaffalione rode Tuscan Gold to a fourth-place finish in the Preakness Stakes. On Saturday, Gaffalione will be riding against Sierra Leone as he’s slated to ride Protective in the Belmont Stakes. Don’t underestimate Gaffalione. The South Florida-native cut his teeth riding in the Sunshine State but he’s won just about everywhere he’s been and has a Triple Crown win on his resume, taking the Preakness Stakes on War of Will 2019. Gaffalione’s purse earnings total has gone up every single year thus far in his career, which began in 2014, topping out at more than $29.9 million in 2023.

Florent Geroux (Eclipse Sportswire)

Florent Geroux

Age: 37

Originally from: France

Previous rides in the Belmont: 3

Best finish: Eighth in 2018 (Restoring Hope)

2024 Belmont horse: Honor Marie

Each of the last four years, Florent Geroux has ranked eighth or better by purse earnings for jockeys in North America. He’s a Kentucky Derby winner (2021, Mandaloun) and has eight victories at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. A native of France, Geroux has become one of the most recognizable names in the U.S. on major race days in recent years. Surprisingly, he’s only had three opportunities in the Belmont Stakes and none of those races went particularly well for Geroux. On Saturday, he’ll ride a serious Belmont Stakes contender in Honor Marie. The bay colt had excuses when finishing eighth in the Kentucky Derby and comes into the Belmont Stakes with a bit of buzz.

Brian Hernandez Jr. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Brian Hernandez Jr.

Age: 38

Originally from: Louisiana

Previous rides in the Belmont: 1

Best finish: Fifth in 2022 (Creative Minister)

2024 Belmont horse: Mystik Dan

Brian Hernandez Jr. was considered by many savvy horseplayers as the best-kept secret in Kentucky, a jockey who put in the work, knew the intricacies of every track, and consistently delivered quality rides in all types of races. He’s a secret no more after winning the Longines Kentucky Oaks with Thorpedo Anna on May 3 and the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve the next day aboard Mystik Dan, who Hernandez also guided to a runner-up finish in the Preakness Stakes. Hernandez won the Eclipse Award as outstanding apprentice jockey in 2004 and he’s since racked up more than 2,500 career wins, including 80 graded stakes victories. Until the first weekend in May this year, Hernandez was perhaps best known for his 2012 Breeders’ Cup Classic win aboard Fort Larned. He has a very good chance to add to a banner year when he rides Derby winner Mystik Dan in this year’s Belmont Stakes.

Irad Ortiz Jr. (Eclipse Sportswire)

Irad Ortiz Jr. 

Age: 31

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Belmont: 9

Best finish: Won in 2016 (Creator) and 2022 (Mo Donegal)

2024 Belmont horse: Mindframe

If anyone asks “who’s the best jockey in horse racing?” you wouldn’t be wrong to reply, Irad Ortiz Jr. At just 31 years old, he’s a sure-fire future Hall of Famer who already has two Belmont Stakes wins to his credit. Ortiz is a five-time Eclipse Award winner as outstanding North American rider, and he’s on pace to be a finalist again this year. Ortiz is the current leader nationally by purse earnings, with more than $11.3 million so far in 2024, and also by wins. Of his 3,880-plus career victories, 20 of them have come at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. If Ortiz is to capture a third Belmont Stakes win on Saturday, he’ll do it aboard the lightly-raced Mindframe. He’s only started twice but Mindframe has won those two races by a combined margin of 21 ¼ lengths.

Flavien Prat (Eclipse Sportswire)

Flavien Prat

Age: 31

Originally from: France

Previous rides in the Belmont: 3

Best finish: Second in 2021 (Hot Rod Charlie)

2024 Belmont horse: Sierra Leone

If you’re looking for a big-race rider, Flavien Prat is your guy. He has won a Kentucky Derby (2019, Country House), a Preakness Stakes (2021, Rombauer), and has finished second in the Belmont Stakes. Since 2015, Prat has also won multiple riding titles and captured five victories at the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. This year alone, he has 21 graded stakes wins through June 3 and trails only Irad Ortiz Jr. among all jockeys by purse earnings nationally. Prat is almost certain to add to his money total when he rides Kentucky Derby runner-up Sierra Leone in the Belmont Stakes. He is very likely to be the favorite in Saturday’s main event.

Luis Saez (Eclipse Sportswire)

Luis Saez

Age: 32

Originally from: Panama

Previous rides in the Belmont: 6

Best finish: Won in 2021 (Essential Quality)

2024 Belmont horse: Dornoch

A winner of more than 3,400 races at the age of 32, Luis Saez seems destined for the Hall of Fame at his current pace. He has ranked fourth or better by wins among all jockeys in North America in each of the past five years with 274, 268, 293, 272, and 251  victories from 2019 through 2023, respectively. He also has a Belmont Stakes win on his resume from guiding Essential Quality to victory in 2021. Saez will be aboard one-time leader of this year’s 3-year-old racing crop, Dornoch, in the 2024 Belmont Stakes. Co-owned by retired Major League Baseball All-Star Jayson Werth, Dornoch will look to bounce back on Saturday after a 10th-place finish in the Kentucky Derby.

Jaime Torres (Eclipse Sportswire)

Jaime Torres

Age: 25

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Belmont: 0

Best finish: n/a

2024 Belmont horse: Seize the Grey

The youngest rider in this year’s Belmont Stakes field is coming off the greatest month of his career as a jockey. On the first Saturday in May, Jaime Torres won his first graded stakes race in the Pat Day Mile Stakes Presented by SAP aboard Seize the Grey. Two weeks later, Torres and Seize the Grey showed up at the Preakness Stakes and pulled off an upset to win the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that the 25-year-old Torres has been able to excel with the bright lights shining on him over the past month. A native of Puerto Rico, Torres only began riding professionally in 2022. And yet, last year, he was the leading apprentice (rookie) rider on the competitive New York circuit. On Saturday, Torres could elevate his status even more if he and Seize the Grey can capture the Belmont Stakes.

John Velazquez (Eclipse Sportswire)

John Velazquez

Age: 52

Originally from: Puerto Rico

Previous rides in the Belmont: 26

Best finish: Won in 2007 (Rags to Riches) and 2012 (Union Rags)

2024 Belmont horse: Antiquarian

Only once in the past 21 years has the Belmont Stakes been run without Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez aboard a horse in the race. Johnny V has done it all in a 34-year career that has seen him win more than 6,600 races, including two Belmont Stakes. Other highlights for Velazquez include 20 Breeders’ Cup World Championships wins and three victories in the Kentucky Derby. On Saturday, he’ll try to add another Belmont score to his resume when he rides Antiquarian. Velazquez was aboard the chestnut colt last month for a victory in the Peter Pan Stakes. Last year, Arcangelo won the Peter Pan before going on to capture the Belmont Stakes.