Jorge Chavez (jockey)

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Jorge Chavez (born November 25, 1961 in Callao, Peru) is a jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing.

Chavez began his career in horse racing in 1982 in his native Peru and by 1987 was his country's leading rider. In April of 1988 he emigrated to the United States where he raced with a great deal of success at Florida race tracks. Moving to New York a few years later, Chavez was the state's leading rider from 1994 to 1999. He won the two of the 1999 Breeders' Cup races, taking both the Distaff and the Sprint. His performances for the year, which included his second win in the Cigar Mile Handicap, earned him the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Jockey. A fan favorite on the New York circuit where he rode for many years, Chavez is affectionately referred to by the fans as "Chop Chop" due to his distinctive riding style.

Jorge Chavez has won two Breeders' Cup races both in 1999. He won the Sprint with Artax who became the Eclipse Award Winner for Best Sprinter and won the Distaff with Beautiful Pleasure who too won Eclipse Award for Older Female of the year. In 2000, he was voted the Mike Venezia Memorial Award for "extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship".

In 2001, Chavez rode Monarchos to victory in the Florida Derby and then in America's most prestigious race, the Kentucky Derby. The following year he won the Woodward Stakes but broke his back in a racing accident that sidelined him for a few months.

As of late 2006, Chavez has been riding on the competitive Southern California racing circuit which includes the prestigious Santa Anita and Del Mar tracks.