Robby Albarado, Jockey of Curlin and Major Star of American Racing, Passes Away

Winner of more than 5,200 races and a key figure in the campaigns of Curlin, Mineshaft, and Swiss Skydiver, the American jockey passed away at age 52, just days after undergoing heart surgery

SARATOGA SPRINGS, New York (Special for Turf Diario).— American horse racing suffered a devastating blow on Tuesday with the passing of Robby Albarado, one of the sport's standout jockeys over the last three decades. He is remembered above all as the regular partner of Curlin (Smart Strike), aboard whom he authored some of the most brilliant chapters in recent racing history. He was 52 years old.

Having retired from official competition at the end of 2021, Albarado worked in recent years as an exercise rider for Kenny McPeek, the very trainer with whom he celebrated his final major triumph when guiding Swiss Skydiver(Daredevil) to victory in the 2020 Preakness Stakes (G1), making her only the sixth filly to capture the middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

His death came just days after being hospitalized in Saratoga Springs to receive a stent following the diagnosis of a total coronary blockage. McPeek had even shared a photograph of the rider recovering with a smile, while on Sunday Albarado sent a message to his friend Dale Romans assuring him he felt "like a new person." News of his passing caught the entire racing community by surprise.

"He was a great friend and an extraordinary horseman. This is very tough," McPeek expressed.

Born on September 11, 1973, in Lafayette, Louisiana, Albarado began riding at small bush tracks when he was just 12 years old. He made his professional debut in 1990 at Evangeline Downs and, after establishing himself across Louisiana, Arkansas, and Illinois, relocated permanently to Kentucky in 1996, where he built a hall-of-fame caliber career.

He captured riding titles at Arlington Park, Fair Grounds, Keeneland, Oaklawn Park, and Churchill Downs, where his 87 stakes victories rank second only to the legendary Pat Day.

His ultimate breakthrough arrived courtesy of Mineshaft (A.P. Indy), whom he partnered throughout an unforgettable 2003 campaign that earned Horse of the Year honors behind four G1 triumphs, including the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

However, his name will forever be linked to Curlin, one of the supreme thoroughbreds of the 21st century.

Together, they captured the 2007 Preakness Stakes (G1) with a dramatic late surge to edge favorite Street Sense(Street Cry) by a head, kicking off an iconic partnership. That same season, Curlin placed third in the Kentucky Derby (G1), fell short by just a nose to the filly Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) in the Belmont Stakes (G1), and capped the year by defeating older horses in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) to seal Champion 3-Year-Old Colt and Horse of the Year honors.

The following year, the duo dominated at the highest level once again, headlined by a sensational 7 1/4-length blowout victory in the Dubai World Cup (G1) at Nad Al Sheba in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on the afternoon he defeated Argentine star Asiatic Boy (Not for Sale).

"It was as easy as it looked. He is a truly special horse. He proved he was the best in the world," Albarado said at the time.

Over a riding career that spanned 32 seasons, he tallied 39 G1 victories in the United States, including the 2009 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) with Tapitsfly (Tapit) and the memorable 2011 Breeders' Cup Mile(G1T) with 60-1 shocker Court Vision (Gulch).

That victory holds a special place in Dale Romans' memory: "We shared great wins and unforgettable moments, but above all, he was family. He was my main jockey for a long time. Hardworking, talented, and always positive. He was a great person," the trainer noted.

Romans also recalled an anecdote illustrating the jockey's extraordinary eye for a horse.

"Before the 2011 Kentucky Derby, he breezed Animal Kingdom (Leroidesanimaux) for Graham Motion. When he got off the horse, he told me, 'He won't lose.' And the horse went on to win the Derby," he recounted.

Paradoxically, Albarado was unable to ride that afternoon. Days prior, he suffered a severe kick to the face in the paddock, an injury that forced a rider change to John Velazquez, who ultimately guided the future winner.

In total, Albarado competed in 34,114 races, compiling an impressive record of 5,222 wins, 4,950 second-place finishes, and 4,696 thirds, earning more than $221 million in purses. He ranks among only 34 jockeys in North American racing history to reach the 5,000-win milestone.

In 2004, he was honored with the prestigious George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, a recognition reserved for riders whose careers and character represent the highest standards both on and off the racetrack.

The passing of Robby Albarado leaves a profound void in international racing. Blessed with exceptional talent, central to some of the 21st century's most iconic turf achievements, and universally respected by colleagues, trainers, and fans alike, his legacy will remain forever bound to the great champions he guided and a career that established him as one of the defining jockeys of his generation.