Alonso Quinonez

During his apprentice year in 2007, Quinonez gained a lot of
attention with 158 wins and $3.1 million in earnings and was a
finalist for the Eclipse Award. At the beginning of 2007, he
battled Julian Leparoux, the reigning apprentice champ, for the
riding championship at Turfway Park. Leparoux eked out the title on
the final day of the season. Quinonez is a native of Sinaloa,
Mexico, and his brothers, Luis and Belen, are also jockeys in the
U.S. He walked hots at Oaklawn Park in 2003 then galloped horses
for trainer Morris Nicks. After getting his career started in
Kentucky, Quinonez moved his business to Southern California. He
landed on the standout female sprinter Intangaroo, and they won
three Grade 1 stakes in 2008: the Santa Monica, the Humana Distaff
and the Ballerina. In 2010, his Grade 1 winners were Tell a Kelly
in the Darley Debutante and Richard's Kid in the
Goodwood.