Horse racing has always been about the next big thing. Right now, we’re watching some incredible young riders tear up tracks all around the world.
These contenders are winning major races, setting records, and making seasoned pros take notice. So, let’s meet the jockeys who are building racing’s future right now.
Erik Asmussen – Set to Brake the Records
Erik Asmussen had a pretty good first year – he dominated it. The 22-year-old crushed the competition with 127 wins and earned over $5 million in his debut season – and that’s not normal. He won the 2024 Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, joining his uncle Cash, who grabbed the same honor back in 1979.
His dad, Steve, is a Hall of Fame trainer with over 10,000 wins, so Erik grew up breathing horse racing. The kid rode his first race at Churchill Downs in November 2023.
Just over a year later, he’s already one of the hottest names in the sport. He started in Texas, moved through Ellis Park and Horseshoe Indianapolis, and now rides at Oaklawn Park. When Erik accepted his Eclipse Award, his parents couldn’t hold back tears. That picture tells you everything about this family’s passion for racing.
Saffie Osborne Is the New History Maker
Saffie Osborne is setting new standards for female jockeys. The British rider go popular in 2024 when she became the first woman ever to win a race at Dubai’s Meydan racecourse – making a huge step.
She rode Heart of Honor in both the Preakness and Belmont Stakes in 2025 – her first races in America. No woman has won the Preakness yet, but Osborne came close enough to make everyone pay attention. Smart bettors who follow horse racing predictions know her name, especially those using expert tipsters for insights on rising stars and race favorites at major events.
Since turning pro in 2020, Osborne has racked up around 270 wins with a solid 12% strike rate. Her dad, Jamie, trains horses, her mom, Katie, paints them, and Saffie rides them brilliantly. She learned from the best as well – working with Aidan O’Brien in Ireland and Ciaron Maher in Australia before making her mark on the international stage.
Joe Ramos – The Comeback Kid
Joe Ramos’s story hits differently. In January 2024, he crashed his motorcycle in Puerto Rico. The accident left him with a broken collarbone, skull fractures, a brain bleed, and brutal road rash. He wasn’t wearing a helmet. Doctors weren’t sure he’d walk properly again, let alone ride.
Sixteen months later, Ramos rode Flying Mohawk in the Kentucky Derby. His first Derby. Think about that comeback. The 25-year-old from Puerto Rico now lives in Shelbyville, Indiana, and dominates at Horseshoe Indianapolis, where he was the leading rider in 2022 and 2023.
In 2025, he’s posted 50 wins with 113 top-three finishes from 263 starts. Trainer Whit Beckman and owner Jayson Werth backed him when others might have looked elsewhere. Such faith paid off.
Sean Dylan Bowen – Britain’s Young Gun
Don’t confuse him with jump jockey Sean Bowen – this Sean D. Bowen is carving his own path. The 18-year-old Irishman moved to Britain for more racing opportunities and immediately made his mark. He beat Joe Leavy by just two wins to claim the 2024 British Champion Apprentice Flat Jockey title with 44 victories.
Bowen rides for trainer James Owens and shows maturity way beyond his years. He’d already notched 30 wins in Ireland before crossing the Irish Sea. His championship puts him in legendary company – past winners include Lester Piggott and Pat Eddery. Not bad company for a teenager.
The International Invasion
Racing’s gone global, and the proof rides into the winner’s circle each day. João Moreira, Hong Kong’s “Magic Man,” made his Kentucky Derby debut in 2025 aboard Luxor Café. This guy regularly rides in front of massive crowds in Hong Kong, where racing is basically a religion.
Then there’s Christophe Lemaire, who’s won everything worth winning – the English Two Thousand Guineas, the French Derby, the Melbourne Cup, and a stack of Group 1 races in Japan. All these international stars bring some different riding styles and fresh perspectives to American racing.
Jump Racing’s Rising Stars
While flat racing grabs headlines, jump racing has its own young guns making the big noise. Harry Skelton leads the David Power Cup with 174 points and 108 winners this season. He teams up with his brother Dan, who trains, and together they’re unstoppable. They snagged four wins at the 2024 Cheltenham Festival when most British trainers struggled against the Irish invasion.
Sean Bowen (the jump jockey, not the apprentice) sits clear with 117 wins, while Sam Twiston-Davies maintains a killer 19% strike rate. These guys ride over fences at 30 mph in all weather – it takes a special kind of crazy.
The Next Wave
Gabriel Maldonado and J.G. Torrealba joined Erik Asmussen as Eclipse Award finalists, proving there’s serious depth in the apprentice ranks. In Britain, apprentices get weight allowances – 7 pounds off until 20 wins, 5 pounds until 50 wins, and 3 pounds until 95 wins. This system gives young riders a fighting chance against seasoned veterans.
The Professional Jockeys Association and similar groups worldwide now have better support than ever. They help with finances, injuries, and career guidance. Right now, the main focus is on building sustainable careers.
The Ones Building the Future
All these riders represent racing’s future, and that future looks impressive. Erik Asmussen’s transition from apprentice to journeyman will test whether his rookie success was a fluke or the start of something special. Saffie Osborne keeps knocking on the door of history – eventually, she’ll kick it down. Joe Ramos proves that setbacks don’t define careers.
The sport needs fresh blood, and these jockeys deliver it. They bring new fans, fresh storylines, and most importantly, they win races. Whether they’re riding at Churchill Downs, Ascot, or Happy Valley, these young stars are writing racing’s next chapter. Keep their names in mind – you’ll be hearing them for years to come.