Jockey Miguel Mena Passed Away at Age 34 Following Pedestrian Accident

Miguel Mena, one of the winningest jockeys in Churchill Downs history and a two-time winner of the prestigious Stephen Foster Stakes, was killed in a pedestrian accident on westbound I-64 between Blakenbaker Parkway and Hurstbourne Lane in Louisville on Sunday night. He was 34, just days shy of his 35th birthday on Saturday.

“This news is absolutely shocking, terrible and heartbreaking,” said Churchill Downs Racetrack President Mike Anderson. “Our team is devastated to learn of Miguel’s passing. He was such a courageous rider who fought to overcome several challenges and adversity. We’ll miss his bright smile. Our deepest condolences are extended to his many friends, fellow riders and family, and our immediate thoughts are with his wife April and his daughters Naelah and Montserrat.”

Mena won 2,079 races in North America and his mounts in 16,234 races earned $72,483,396 in prize money. He recorded 136 career stakes wins, including the 2010 Test (Grade I) aboard Champagne d’Oro and 2011 Stephen Foster (GI) on Pool Play.

Mena, born on Nov. 6, 1986 in Lima, Peru, came from a family with roots in horse racing. His father Jose was a jockey and uncle Humberto is a trainer. As early as age 6, he’d go to the track with his father and dreamed of one day becoming a jockey. He began grooming horses at age 11, and when he turned 14 he attended Jorge Bernardini Yori Jockey School in Peru, which also produced Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado and Kentucky-based rider Rafael Bejarano.

Mena came to the United States at age 17 and recorded his first North American win as a jockey at Calder Race Course aboard Elian for trainer George Heath on Sept. 7, 2003.