Last updated: November 3, 2026
When you look at a program and see a jockey’s name next to every horse, it’s easy to assume somebody at the track hands out the mounts. Nobody does. So how are jockeys assigned to horses, and who really makes the call?
Here’s how those arrangements work, why riders change, and what I look for when choosing a jockey for one of our horses.
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How Are Jockeys Assigned to Horses?
It starts with the horse’s connections. Choosing the rider can be the owner’s decision, the trainer’s preference, or both. In my barn, the trainer and I talk it over when we’re looking at the condition book and picking a spot. We look at the race, the horse, and which riders are available and fit him.
In practice, the trainer or owner calls the jockey’s agent, not the jockey, and it works the other way, too. Agents call owners and trainers all the time lobbying for their riders, because getting mounts is their job. Once both sides agree, the rider is booked and named when the horse is entered. Changes can still be made before the race, but they’re subject to the track’s rules and approval by the racing officials. In Louisiana, only an owner, trainer, jockey agent, or an owner’s authorized agent can make riding engagements, though a jockey without an agent can book his own.
What a Jockey Agent Does
Most riders who are getting regular mounts have an agent, and the agent’s job is simple to describe and hard to do. As AQHA puts it, the job of an agent is to get his or her jockey on the best possible horse.
A good agent works the condition book every day, figures out which horses are likely to run in which races, and spends the mornings at the barns and on the phone pitching his riders to trainers and owners. Agents generally take about 25% of the jockey’s earnings, according to AQHA, though arrangements vary.
Many agents book for more than one rider. In Louisiana, an agent can’t book more than two riders, and can’t have more than two of them in the same race, except in stakes races. A rider may also have a first-call arrangement with a particular barn, which gives that barn priority when mounts are being booked.
Do Jockeys Pick Their Horses?
Yes, but they choose from the mounts they’re offered. Jockeys are independent contractors, so when a rider gets more than one offer for the same race, he and his agent weigh the horses’ chances, the class of the race, existing commitments, and their relationships with the trainers.
That cuts both ways for an owner. It happens to us often. I’ve had riders win races for me, then pick a bigger barn’s horse when we met in the same field. Jockeys don’t want to lose favor with big operations that regularly have horses running. A trainer like Brad Cox may have several more mounts coming up, so keeping that relationship matters. It’s not personal; it’s the business.
We’ve also had good riders on our horses. Juan Vargas and Jareth Loveberry have both ridden for us multiple times. Vargas rode Coal Battle on the 2025 Kentucky Derby trail and again in the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile, and Loveberry rode Chunk of Gold at the Fair Grounds on that same 2025 Derby trail. You don’t always get your first choice, but a good horse can help you attract a good rider.
Do Jockeys Ride the Same Horse Every Time?
Not always. There’s no rule that a horse keeps the same rider. If a jockey wins on a horse, the connections often want him back, and riding the same horse again helps, because the rider knows how the horse breaks, where he likes to be, and how much he’s got left at the end. But riders get hurt, get booked elsewhere, or just don’t click with a horse, and the connections make a change.
Sometimes a change is the best thing that can happen. We had a horse that kept running second. When our regular rider wasn’t available, we put a woman rider on him and he won. We went back to the regular rider and ran second again, so we tried another woman rider next time out, and he won again. That horse just seemed to run better with a woman in the irons.
What Makes a Good Jockey for Your Horse
A good jockey for your horse isn’t always the leading rider. It’s the rider who fits the horse and the race. Here’s what we weigh:
Style. Some riders are aggressive out of the gate, and some are better at waiting and making one run. A speed horse and a closer need different rides.
Judgment in traffic. I watch how a rider handles a crowded field. Can he hold his position and use an opening when there’s room, or does he keep taking the horse wide? I want a rider who can save ground without forcing a move that isn’t there.
Record and form. Look at the rider’s recent results, including how he’s doing at your track and on the surface your horse will run over. You can look up any rider in Equibase’s jockey profiles at equibase.com.
Fit with the horse. A rider who’s worked the horse in the mornings already knows his habits. We had a filly who liked to relax early and finish strong. Our jockey got on her a few mornings, learned her rhythm, and rode her patiently, and on race day he got her up in the final strides.
Communication. A rider who listens to the trainer’s instructions and tells you what happened in the race helps you plan the horse’s next start.
Jockey Selection FAQs
Why would a trainer use an apprentice jockey?
Apprentice jockeys get a weight allowance, so the horse carries less weight. The amount and the races it applies to depend on the state’s rules. The allowance is temporary and generally doesn’t apply in stakes races, so trainers often use apprentices in everyday races to take advantage of it.
Can an owner fire a jockey?
Yes. The owner and trainer can choose a different jockey for the horse’s next race, and good riders understand it’s part of the business. Replacing a rider who’s already booked for a particular race is a different matter and can involve the track’s rules or fees.
Choosing a jockey is about finding someone who fits your horse, understands his running style, and can give him the right trip. For more on what the rider does once he’s aboard, here’s a look at a racehorse jockey’s duties and how jockeys make horses go faster.
About Miles Henry
Racehorse Owner & Author | 30+ Years in Thoroughbred Racing
Miles Henry (legal name: William Bradley) is a professional horseman based in Folsom, Louisiana. He holds Louisiana Racing License #67012 and has spent over three decades managing Thoroughbreds at premier tracks including Fair Grounds, Delta Downs, and Evangeline Downs.
Expertise & Hands-On Experience: Beyond the track, Miles has decades of experience in specialized equine care, covering everything from hoof health and nutrition to training protocols for Quarter Horses, Friesians, and Paints. Every guide on Horse Racing Sense is rooted in this “boots-on-the-ground” perspective.
30 of their last 90 starts
Equibase Profile.
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