A third-generation jockey, Joe Bravo, a native of Long Branch, has been a dominant rider in his home state for 20 years. He has been the leading rider at Monmouth 13 times and the Meadowlands champion nine times. He has won 118 graded races and is approaching his 5,000 career win as of 5/13/15.
Perennial leading rider in New Jersey and Florida and finishing among Gulfstream’s top 10 riders in wins and money won. Gulfstream was the site of his first major victory when Formal Gold won the 1997 Grade 1 Donn Handicap. In 2014, he scored Grade 1 wins on Danza in the Arkansas Derby, who then finished second in the Kentucky Derby and Condo Commando in the G1 Spinaway. There were two G1 wins on Big Blue Kitten in 2013 in the Sword Dancer Invitational and the United Nations Stakes.
Other notable Grade 1 victories include the 2004 Haskell at Monmouth Park with Lion Heart and the 2003 King’s Bishop Stakes at Saratoga aboard Valid Video.
Dubbed with the nickname “Jersey Joe,” not only because that’s where he’s from but also for his dominance of his home circuit. Bravo follows his grandfather Bartolo and father George into the business. He started out riding Quarter Horses at age 13 in Texas. He became a professional aboard thoroughbreds in 1987.
