Garrett K. Gomez, American jockey, Died at 44

  Sports

Garrett Keith Gomez was born on January 1, 1972, and died on December 14, 2016.

He was an American thoroughbred jockey.

Gomez won two Eclipse Awards and thirteen Breeders’ Cup races during his career.

He learned to ride by watching his father, Louie, who was a jockey at many tracks in the Southwest United States.

After he was in the tenth grade, he dropped out of school to start his career as a jockey, and started riding at Santa Fe Downs in New Mexico in September 1988, picking up his first victory at that venue aboard Furlong Circle.

Following a stint riding on the California Fair Circuit, Gomez switched his tack to the Midwest and rode at Ak-Sar-Ben and Fonner Park in Nebraska.

He was the second leading apprentice rider in 1989, racking up 182 winners.

In the mid 1990s, his career began to take off.

Gomez won back-to-back runnings of the Arkansas Derby in 1994 (with Concern) and 1995 (with Dazzling Falls).

Garrett K. Gomez passed away at 44 years old.