Junior Alvarado Made History, Named 2025 Venezuelan Athlete of the Year

The Kentucky Derby (G1)–winning jockey aboard Sovereignty became the first rider in his discipline to receive his country’s highest sporting honor

Junior Alvarado and Sovereignty, a Partnership That Made History / ADAM COGLIANESE / NYRA

The extraordinary season Junior Alvarado enjoyed in the United States came to an ending as emotional as it was historic. The jockey was named Venezuelan Athlete of the Year for 2025, becoming the first rider ever to receive his country’s highest sporting honor since its creation in 1944—a distinction traditionally dominated by baseball stars and athletes from more mainstream disciplines.

The award, presented annually by Venezuela’s Sports Journalists’ Circle, recognizes the nation’s most outstanding athlete of the year and carries enormous symbolic weight within Venezuelan sport. “I was honestly in shock,” Alvarado admitted after learning the news. “I knew I was nominated, but no jockey had ever won this award. It’s something I can’t really describe. It’s huge for me, but it’s also huge for racing in my country.”

Alvarado’s year was nothing short of unforgettable. Partnered with Sovereignty (Into Mischief), the Bill Mott trainee, the Venezuelan reached racing’s summit by capturing the Kentucky Derby (G1)—a race that had marked his imagination since childhood. Far from being an isolated achievement, that victory became the launching point of a sensational campaign that also included triumphs in the Belmont Stakes (G1), Jim Dandy Stakes (G2), Fountain of Youth (G2) and Travers Stakes (G1), cementing Sovereignty as a leading Horse of the Year contender.

Although the colt was unable to compete in the Breeders’ Cup, Alvarado still left his imprint on championship day, winning the Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) aboard Scylla (Tapit) and putting the finishing touch on an elite season. As of Dec. 29, the numbers told the story: 116 wins and earnings of $18,318,159, a statistical snapshot of consistency, class and success on racing’s biggest stages.

“There were other nominees, including great baseball players,” the jockey acknowledged. “This is the cherry on top after the year I had. I don’t know if I’ll ever experience something like this again. To achieve it, you need the horses and the opportunities, and I’m deeply grateful for every one of them.”

Junior Alvarado’s story is one of persistence and belief. He rode his first winner on Dec. 30, 2005 at La Rinconada, moved to the United States in 2007, passed through the Chicago circuit and eventually settled in demanding New York in 2010, convinced that the biggest opportunities were there. “As a kid, I watched the Kentucky Derby on television. I dreamed of winning it. To have done it this year, and then add the Belmont and the Travers—all in the same season—is incredible,” he reflected.

In a country where the award has long belonged to legends such as Miguel Cabrera, José Altuve and Johan Santana, Junior Alvarado’s name now stands proudly alongside them. Not only for his personal achievements, but for opening an unprecedented door for Venezuelan racing—bringing the sport he loves and represents to the very center of the national sporting spotlight.