Lopez Nears Another Monmouth Title, 4K-Win Milestone

As he closes in on his sixth straight riding title and 11th overall at Monmouth Park, jockey Paco Lopez is also nearing a significant milestone: 4,000 career wins.

He says he would like to achieve it at the Jersey Shore track, which has been his summer base since 2009. However, with only 16 live racing cards left to earn the 40 wins he needs to reach that number, it could prove to be a challenge.

The chase will be renewed this weekend, with Lopez listed to ride in each of the eight races at Monmouth Park Aug. 9 and seven of the nine Aug. 10.

“I’d like to do it at Monmouth Park,” he said. “But I can’t change anything to try to make that happen. I just have to keep working hard, and hopefully it will work out.”

At the age of 38, Lopez is having yet another banner year with 191 winners overall through Aug. 7. He holds a comfortable 60 to 44 lead over Jairo Rendon atop the Monmouth Park jockey standings, having won five stakes at the track this summer and 17 overall (five graded).

This will mark the seventh straight year he has had 200 wins or more and the 10th time in the past 12 years. And the winning never gets old, he says.

“Everybody likes to win. I’m no different,” he said. “So far I’m having a very good year.

“I have always worked hard. I like to work. When you work hard you have a better chance to be successful. And I am always trying to get better. That never stops.” 

Barring injury, Lopez is well on his way to becoming the most accomplished jockey in Monmouth Park history. That title is currently held by Joe Bravo, who has a track record 13 riding titles with 2,119 victories just at Monmouth Park.

Bravo, at 52, is no longer chasing titles. Lopez is, with his 11th at Monmouth Park looking to be little more than a formality. Lopez has won 1,321 of his 3,960 career races at Monmouth Park.

This Monmouth Park title would be his 10th in the past 12 years. He also holds the track record for winners on a single card with seven, something he has accomplished three times.   

“It’s a lot of work and it gets harder every year,” said Lopez, who won the Eclipse Award as the outstanding apprentice jockey in 2008. “There are a lot of new, talented riders that come here every year and they all see me as the one to beat.

“But I love competing. I will work as hard as I need to and my thing is I try to get better every year.”

The Veracruz, Mexico, native will be the 84th rider in the sport’s history to reach 4,000 wins in North America, according to Equibase. He is currently 27th in career wins among active riders  He started riding in the United States in 2007 in Florida after growing up at small tracks in Mexico. He decided to give Monmouth Park a try on a trial basis in 2009. Little did he know it would lead him to where he is today.

“Everyone wants to win and wants to be consistent,” said Lopez, who has won stakes races at six different tracks this year. “The thing I feel good about is how I work.”