Martin A. Pedroza

Birthdate: July 20, 1965

Birthplace: Panama City, Panama

Family: wife, Evelyn; sons; Brian and Tyler; daughter, Jasmine

Martin (pronounced "Marteen") Pedroza graduated from the jockey school in his native Panama at age 17, following in the footsteps of his older brother Marcelino. Soon after graduation, Pedroza came to the United States and was the leading apprentice at the 1983 Santa Anita Park, Oak Tree Racing Association and Los Alamitos meetings.

Pedroza has had 16 riding titles in his career, including the 2004 fall Hollywood Park meeting. Known as "King of the Bullring," Pedroza is the all-time leading rider at Fairplex Park with 14 titles, 13 of them consecutive. He won 51 races, a single-season record during the 17-day Fairplex park meet in 2004. On opening day of the 2009 race meet, he rode his 3,000th career winner and six other winners. Two days later, he again rode seven winners in one day. He was inducted into the Fairplex Park Hall of Fame at the end of the 2009 season.

Pedroza’s hobbies include going to the gym, running and spending time with his family.

Pedroza won multiple Grade 1 races during the last few years with elite sprinter Private Zone. His first Grade 1 win came aboard Martial Law in the 1989 Santa Anita Handicap.