Photo:

Sophie Shore / Eclipse Sportswire

Kendrick Carmouche has won the 2025 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award after a nationwide vote of his fellow riders.

The award, which has been presented annually by Santa Anita since 1950, honors riders whose careers and personal character earn esteem for the individual and for the sport of Thoroughbred racing. It is widely regarded as one of the most cherished honors given to a jockey as each year’s winner is determined by a vote of their peers.

“25 years of living as a professional jockey and living as a son to a jockey, this award means that the pavement that I have put down in the industry has been shown to a lot of people and they’ve seen me grow over the years,” Carmouche said Carmouche. “I’m just honored, very honored. I just wish my dad would be here to notice. He was one of the biggest influences that got me into the sport. He is well missed. This is one of the things that we accomplish along the way to show our gratitude. Not only to my dad, but my wife and kids, my mom brothers and sisters. Just accomplishing so many things along my career.”

Born in Vinton, La., on Jan. 18, 1984, Kendrick Carmouche began riding at age 16 and won his first race at Evangeline Downs in his home state. The son of jockey Sylvester Carmouche Jr., Kendrick starting in 2008 became a dominant force at Parx in Pennsylvania where he won four straight riding titles and seven overall. Carmouche is known for his positive attitude and consistent ability to produce with any kind of horse at any price.  Married with two children, Carmouche is in the prime of a career that has seen him boot home more than 3,970 winners.

“When you get close to milestones it seems like it slows down. 4,000 wins for a Creole guy from Louisiana, in the most modern age of racing that is pretty tough.” Said Carmouche, “If you would have told me I would have 4,000 wins when I first started I would be ticked pink.”

Carmouche was inducted into the Parx Hall of Fame in 2015. He has made New York his base since 2015. He won riding titles at Aqueduct during its 2020 fall meet and 2023 spring meet. Carmouche ranks third at the current Aqueduct winter meet, where he has won with 23% of his mounts.

Carmouche’s top graded-stakes winners include Christophe Clement-trained Pure Sensation, who won the Turf Monster Stakes (G3) at Parx three times, twice with Carmouche aboard, True Timber, who won the 2020 Cigar Mile (G1) for trainer Jack Sisterson, and multiple graded-stakes winner Integration for Shug McGaughey.

Carmouche will be honored with the Woolf Award in a winners’ circle ceremony at Santa Anita this spring.

The award is named for the late Hall of Fame jockey who gained national acclaim by winning the inaugural Santa Anita Handicap on Feb. 23, 1935, aboard Azucar and later by piloting the immortal Seabiscuit to victory over Triple Crown winner War Admiral in a match race at Pimlico in 1938. The George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award has been won by some of the greatest names in the history of the sport.

Carmouche was joined on this year’s Woolf ballot by fellow finalists Brian Hernandez Jr., Alfredo Juarez, Jr. Juan Hernandez and James Graham.

A date for the Woolf Award presentation ceremony at Santa Anita will be announced soon.