Pat Valenzuela, a new opportunity at 63 and a story seeking to be rewritten

One of the greatest jockeys, he will return to competition after 10 years thanks to a license granted in Arizona; he has 3 mounts for Monday at Turf Paradise

PHOENIX, Arizona (Special for Turf Diario).— In a sport where second chances do not always arrive, Patrick Valenzuela is close to one once again. At 63 years old, the talented—and often controversial—jockey received a conditional license to return to riding at Turf Paradise, in Arizona, a step that opens the door to a possible return after nearly a decade away from the tracks.

The authorization, confirmed by racetrack authorities, is subject to a key condition: compliance with a program of permanent anti-doping tests, a reflection of the recent history of a rider whose career was marked as much by brilliance as by personal struggles.

With 4,372 victories since his debut in 1978, when he was just 16 years old, Valenzuela was for years one of the most talented jockeys on the United States circuit. However, his last official performance dates back to 2016, after having competed in various states such as Louisiana, Texas, and New Mexico.

Since then, attempts to return had not succeeded. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) rejected his license applications in 2016, 2018, and 2025, pointing to a complex history that included incidents related to drugs, domestic violence, and failure to complete rehabilitation programs.

The turning point seems to have arrived recently. Following his last arrest in 2024 for violating a restraining order, Valenzuela entered a recovery program and began actively participating in the Winners Foundation, an organization that assists racing professionals dealing with addiction and mental health issues.

An official report from 2025 recognized this change: "For the first time in nearly a decade, he showed signs of rehabilitation," the document noted, though clarifying that he did not yet fully meet the requirements for relicensing in California.

Even so, the message was clear: keep moving forward. Meanwhile, in Arizona, he found a door slightly ajar.

Born in Montrose, Colorado, and coming from a family of jockeys, Valenzuela left a deep mark on the major races. He was the pilot for Sunday Silence (Halo) in his victories in the 1989 Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes(G1), and added seven Breeders’ Cup wins, including that unforgettable 1991 Juvenile edition with Arazi (Blushing Groom), in one of the most shocking rallies in history.

Furthermore, he conquered 66 G1 races, from the 1980 Santa Anita Derby with Codex (Arts and Letters) to the 2012 Eddie Read Stakes with Acclamation (Unusual Heat), in a career that combined pure talent with an exceptional ability to get the best out of front-runners.

Today, the challenge is different. At 63, far from the grand stages and with much to prove, Patrick Valenzuela is not racing against rivals on the track. He is racing against his own history. And this time, the goal is not just to win races… it is to prove that there is still room to come back.