Jorge Velasquez's career in thoroughbred racing began in his native Panama but as a teenager moved to the United States. In 1967 he won more races than any other American jockey and in 1969 was tops in money-winning.
In 1978 he became nationally famous for being one of the jockeys involved in probably the greatest rivalry in racing history. He finished second aboard
Alydar to
Affirmed in all three of the 1978
American Triple Crown races, losing by a combined total of less than two lengths. Velasquez and Alydar later achieved a small measure of satisfaction when they beat Affirmed in the 1978
Travers Stakes (although the win came via the disqualification of Affirmed for interference entering the far turn). In 1981 he rode
Pleasant Colony to victory in the
Kentucky Derby and
Preakness Stakes but missed winning the Triple Crown when they finished third to
Summing in the
Belmont Stakes.