Edgar Prado

From AlexBrownRacing

Like the FOB's, I decided to turn my emotion into positive action for others. (From his book: My Guy Barbaro: A Jockey's Journey Through Love, Triumph, and Heartbreak with America's Favorite Horse)

Jockey Edgar Prado is credited with saving Barbaro’s life after his catastrophic injury in the Preakness by pulling him up quickly, preventing further damage to his shattered leg.

A native of Lima, Peru, Edgar is ranked among the leading jockeys in the United States, with the biggest earnings in 2006 second only to Garret Gomez. He is a 3 time Breeders Cup winner.

His victories in the Belmont Stakes denied others' bids for the Triple Crown - once by War Emblem in 2002 , and again by Smarty Jones in 2004. Winning the 2006 Kentucky Derby by the widest margin in 6 decades gave him reason to hope for a Triple Crown bid of his own. When Barbaro shattered his leg in the Preakness, those dreams were shattered as well.

For all his brilliance on the track. Edgar will forever be remembered for the moment of selfless courage when he lept down from the panic stricken Barbaro and used his slight hundred-pound frame to support the weight of his thousand-pound partner.

Like the other members of Team Barbaro, Edgar was openly devastated by the Preakness breakdown. " If tears could heal a wound, Barbaro would be healed by now.” He showed his devotion to the dark bay colt by taking time out of his demanding schedule to visit Barbaro at New Bolton Center.

In Edgar’s own words Barbaro “showed that he was a champion not only on the track but also off the track”. The same can be said for Edgar Prado. For a man with such a taciturn public image, his generosity of heart is evident in his support for charities like Anna House. He recently auctioned a most prized possession - the saddle he rode to his Kentucky Derby victory aboard Barbaro to benefit the Permanently Disabled Jockeys’ Fund, started by Jockey Guild chairman John Velazquez. The saddle raised a record breaking $220,000 and went to Roy and Gretchen Jackson for a proposed museum to honor Barbaro and other thoroughbreds from the Delaware area.

Edgar has been honored by his peers as an outstanding sportsman and citizen, winning the 2006 Eclipse Award , the 2006 Mike Venezia Memorial Award the 2006 ESPY Award and was the 54th recipient of the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award in 2003.

Edgar has been around racetracks since the age of 5. His father Jose was an assistant trainer in Peru; brother Jorge, a former jockey, is a trainer in Maryland, and brother Anibal rides at Philadelphia Park, Edgar and his wife Lilliana have 3 children.

A photo slide show of Ernie with Edgar Prado on his Birthday

Update 713: Interview with Edgar Prado

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