LOUISVILLE — As a young boy in Venezuela, Junior Alvarado wanted to follow in his father's footsteps and be a winning jockey.
He started as what he called a "backboy" in the racing stables in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. He remembered hearing about this big race called the Kentucky Derby.
"We didn't have much access to watch any other races, but the Kentucky Derby was the famous race," Alvarado said. "Once I became a jockey, I thought my only chance to win that race — I had to go to the United States and I had to make it there. And that's what I did."
Alvarado, 38, has now competed in the Kentucky Derby five times. He hopes to be the first to dart past the tall white "FINISH" post this weekend on a bay horse, No. 18 Sovereignty, during his sixth run.
Nineteen jockeys are slated to load into the green-and-white metal gates at the famous Churchill Downs racetrack this Saturday evening. Their horses will bullet down the 1 1/4-mile sandy track at a speed of 35 miles an hour. It's the one shot to win $5 million and one of the most coveted titles in American horseracing.
Most of those competing this weekend in Kentucky hail from around the world. The American Business Immigration Coalition estimates jockeys on visas account for up to 70% of U.S. competitors.
Now, as the Trump administration aims to crack down on many forms of migration, those in the industry bank their athletes will be spared from regulatory changes. But some across the country are already feeling the pain of living in limbo.
Many riders come from Mexico, Panama and Venezuela, where there are established jockey academies. Other Latino jockeys are U.S.-born, including from Puerto Rico.
"In Venezuela as well as many other Central and South American countries, horse racing is a big sport. It is equal to American football," said Ramon Dominguez, a retired jockey from Venezuela and member of the U.S. racing Hall of Fame. "A lot of the kids grow up with the dream of one day becoming a jockey."
Rising in prominence in the industry
The Latino presence in American horseracing has evolved over the years. From the grooms to some of the winningest jockeys, Latinos have risen in prominence.
Jockeys from abroad are primarily able to get their foot in the door competing in the U.S. by using the P visa for athletes and O visa for individuals with extraordinary achievement.
Current and former jockeys said that to compete means sacrifice, leaving families behind and training long hours to become the best of the best.
"Our racing scene has been very much enriched by jockeys from all countries," said Bonnie Smerdon, an immigration attorney who helps jockeys with their visas and has been in the industry for almost 10 years. "I'm doing more and more jockey visas than [when I] started out in my career."
While many come on visas, Smerdon said there are other avenues. For example, she has one client from Venezuela on Temporary Protected Status, a parole program the Trump administration revoked, risking the work authorization of hundreds of thousands of immigrants.
Alvarado, the Venezuelan jockey, said the opportunities that are getting denied are "heartbreaking." He knows jockeys in limbo with their immigration status.
"A lot of those are very good athletes. They want to better themselves," Alvarado said.
Smerdon said she has been able to get all her clients' visas approved to bring in more athletes to the U.S., despite the Trump administration's recent crackdowns.
"It takes people from all over the world"
Others in the industry agree their industry is untouched so far.
Mindy Coleman, general counsel of the Jockeys' Guild, helps jockeys process their immigration paperwork.
She said it can already be complicated to request an athlete visa for a jockey because the sport is very unique — each athlete can compete for multiple different trainers and on several horses.
Those in the industry fear future restrictions on visas based on country of origin, or any limits to foreign talent.
"I don't want there to be additional restrictions in reviewing those petitions when they are originally submitted," Coleman said, noting she is thorough in providing background for the immigration agents.
"It's a beautiful, wonderful week," she said about the races leading up to the Kentucky Derby. "But quite frankly it takes people from all over the world in order to have this fastest two minutes in sports in Kentucky."
One reason foreign athletes compete in the U.S. is that many skew smaller and lighter than the average American, she said, making them more competitive in the race.
Jockey schools in places like Panama also help shape a high-caliber talent pool.
"What Latin America is sending us is their highest-trained professionals and people who become influential, who give back to the United States, who become our heroes," said Gabi Kuzenzli, associate professor at the University of South Carolina specializing in Latin American history and sports. "What people don't realize is we're talking about winning trainers, owners, jockeys, assistant trainers. This is a site of Latino excellence."
Jockeys flock to opportunities in the U.S.
One such jockey is Javier Castellano, 47, who apprenticed in competitions in Venezuela and came to the U.S. at age 19. Since then, he has won 6,000 races, competed in the Kentucky Derby 16 times, won once in 2023 and is hoping to land another title on Saturday night.
"I had heard that in the U.S. there was a big scene for international equestrian opportunities and I wanted to try my luck here in the U.S.," Castellano said, noting that his success in Venezuela was the launching point to compete in America. "I had to go through the same process as any immigrant of not knowing the language; it's a different culture, different food."
At first, he came on a tourist visa and then secured a lawyer to help him complete the necessary paperwork to compete in the U.S. Castellano said the U.S. offers more tracks and horses where jockeys can compete, compared to some of the South American countries jockeys come from.
"God has blessed me with the gift of being able to ride horses and work in something I love," Castellano said. He will take to the track on No. 20, a three-year-old bay horse named Owen Almighty.
There are many pathways to the coveted track in Louisville. Martin Garcia, 40, riding No. 1 Citizen Bull, is from Veracruz, Mexico, and will compete in his fourth Kentucky Derby. Garcia said he entered the country illegally about 15 years ago, but is now a citizen.
"I am really excited that I can ride a horse like those that are here and that I have the opportunity because there are many talented jockeys," Garcia said.
He grew up around horses on a ranch in Mexico but fell into being a professional jockey once in the U.S. He now rides hundreds of races a year.
"When I am on a horse, my mind is blank; you have to follow the rhythm of the horse," Garcia said. "It is such a unique sport."
Honoring Latinos' contributions
Ahead of Derby night, three Latino jockeys, two which are riding this weekend, were honored by the Louisville Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on stage — their many accolades listed off on stage.
"Without our jockeys, we would not have a Kentucky Derby," said Hank Enright, one of the event emcees. "So it's very important we take a pause and thank these unsung heroes for the most exciting two minutes of sports."
One jockey honored was Joel Rosario, who will take to the track aboard No. 14 Tiztastic for another shot at winning (he won in 2013). Rosario started riding at the age of 13 in the Dominican Republic and about 20 years ago he came to the U.S. on a visa to compete.
"At first, it was a little difficult. I thought for a bit that it might be better to return to the Dominican Republic," Rosario told NPR at the event. "But I kept working, and was supported by the owners and trainers."
Now, Rosario said he has won more races than he ever thought possible. He sees his story as a successful jockey as an immigrant story, too.
Rosario said he's noticed an increase in Latino jockeys over the last two decades. "U.S. Latinos have continued advancing and succeeding here in the U.S.," he said, "And I want it to always be that way."
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