Alex Solis

Alex O. Solis (born March 25, 1964 in Panama City, Panama) is a jockey based in the United States. He currently lives in Glendora, California and rides predominantly in Southern California. He got his big break and his first gained national prominence when he won the 1986 Preakness Stakes with Snow Chief.

In 2002, he was inducted in the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame.

Solis won two Breeders' Cup races in 2003 with Johar (who finished in a dead heat) in the Breeders' Cup Turf and aboard Pleasantly Perfect in the Classic, both trained by Richard Mandella. Also finished second aboard Mandella-trained Minister Eric in the Juvenile that year at Santa Anita Park. He ended the year ranked fourth nationally in purse earnings with a career-best $16,304,252.

Alex Solis finished second in the Kentucky Derby three out of four years with Captain Bodgit in 1997, Victory Gallop in 1998 and Aptitude in 2000.

Winner of the 2006 Santa Anita Derby aboard Brother Derek.

On February 28, 2009, Solis won the Sham Stakes aboard The Pamplemousse, who is part-owned by his son, Alex Solis II.

Solis is one of the jockeys featured in Animal Planet's 2009 reality documentary, Jockeys.

On June 6, 2010, Solis rode Mandurah to a new world record for a mile on the turf at Monmouth Park. Mandurah set the world record in a $50,000 starter series and broke the previous record of 1:31.41 set by Mister Light in 2005 at Gulfstream Park and now setting it to 1:31.23. It was the first ever start on turf for the six year old gelding and now the world record stands at 1:31.23 for one mile on the turf.

On August 5, 2012, Solis rode the filly Irish Mission to victory on the turf at Woodbine to capture the Breeders' Stakes. The win marked his first ever victory in a Canadian Triple Crown race.

Famous quotes containing the word alex:

    My smiling child
    Named for a noble ancestor
    Great hunter or warrior
    You will be one day.
    Which will give your papa pride
    But always I will remember you thus.
    —African Lullaby. As quoted in Roots, by Alex Haley (1976)