Mike Smith : Horse Jockey

Mike Smith built a major career across New York and California, with classic victories, championship mounts and two Outstanding Jockey Eclipse Awards. His riding record provides a clearer starting point than a generalization about how every racing fan views him. Known as the talented rider of Zenyatta and many other famous horses, Smith also gained attention with his appearance in the reality TV show Jockeys which aired in 2009 on Animal Planet that explored his sometimes contentious relationship with jockey Chantal Sutherland.

New Mexico beginnings and the major circuits

Mike Smith was born on August 10, 1965, in New Mexico, a mecca for horseracing and races among quarterhorses in particular. Smith’s father was also a jockey and by the time Mike was 11 he was already competing in races. He didn’t obtain his actual jockey’s license until age 16 in 1982.

The racing action in New Mexico was limited and Mike Smith soon ventured into the American Midwest to begin his apprenticeship at Canterbury Downs in Minnesota. In 1989 Smith would move to the New York racing circuit where he had an impressive career until leaving in 2000 for the warm climate of Southern California. His California chapter added major partnerships to achievements already established in New York.

His move from New York was punctuated by a series of injuries in 1998 that demonstrate just how dangerous the jockey profession can be. Smith broke his shoulder and two vertebrae in his back in separate spills. The last happened at Saratoga while Smith was leading the riding colony in wins.

The first year Smith spent in California was a good one. It culminated with Smith being honored with the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award which is given yearly to a jockey whose career reflects not only good athleticism but good character. Two years later his reputation as a quality rider would pay huge dividends in the form of Azeri, a filly that went on the win the Breeders’ Cup Distaff and Vindication, a colt that won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

Giacomo and the first Derby win

In 2005 Smith gained attention as the rider of Giacomo, a 50-1 longshot that upset Kentucky Derby favorite Bellamy Road to win the first jewel of the Triple Crown. The win was satisfying because it was Smith’s first in the Kentucky Derby and came aboard a horse sired by Holy Bull, a 2-1 Derby favorite himself that was ridden by Smith to a 12^th-place finish in the 1994 Derby.

Zenyatta’s nineteen wins and final race

More than any other horse, Smith’s name will forever be linked with Zenyatta, the mare that many consider to be the best horse of all time. In a 20-race career Zenyatta won 19 races, 16 of them with Smith in the irons over 17 starts together. Her lone defeat came at the hands of Blame in the 2010 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Known for her dramatic, come-from-behind running style, Zenyatta was taken to the rear of the field early in the race. Many race fans claimed that Smith had the filly too far out of contention and asked her to do too much in the latter stage of the race. Despite a furious closing run Zenyatta was unable to catch Blame at the wire. After the race a tearful Smith stated that the loss was his fault.

Public visibility beyond the race record

Smith appeared in Animal Planet’s Jockeys, which brought the working lives of riders to a wider audience. The program also featured Chantal Sutherland. Television scenes and a promoted match race belong to that public-facing chapter, rather than a measure of either rider’s professional ability.

A racing profile should distinguish documented results, a participant’s own comments and editorial interpretation. Edited entertainment cannot establish private motives or justify a general claim about male or female riders. The useful sporting comparison concerns mounts, race conditions, decisions and outcomes over a defined period.

Smith reached 5,000 career victories in 2012 aboard Amazombie. The National Museum of Racing’s biography records 5,794 wins through 2025; use his Equibase profile for an updated record. His birth date and Zenyatta riding record are also documented in DRF’s 2010 interview.

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More topics:

• Horse Racing Winning Photos

Mike Smith’s Big-Race Record and What It Tells Bettors

Smith’s major wins include the Kentucky Derby with Giacomo in 2005 and the Triple Crown with Justify in 2018. That experience is relevant background, but a list of major victories does not quantify how much he changes the winning chance of a particular mount.

Consider the horse’s form, expected pace, draw, running style and Smith’s experience with that runner. Strong jockeys also receive strong mounts, so their results should not be treated as a separate causal advantage without accounting for opportunity. A famous rider’s name alone does not establish value at the available price.

Continue with betting jockeys in horse racing, people behind the scenes and our Bill Shoemaker profile.

Classic-winning partnerships

The Museum of Racing record places the Justify sweep within seven classic wins. The three victories in 2018 are one horse-rider partnership across three events, while the earlier wins came with different runners. Keep that distinction visible when comparing a career’s breadth.