Manny Franco is one of the top young riders on the New York circuit. In each of the past five years, he’s ranked among the top 15 in earnings among North American jockeys, and in both 2018 and 2019 had more wins at New York Racing Association (NYRA) tracks than any other rider. Franco rode his first Breeders’ Cup winner in 2019, piloting Sharing to victory in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. He has eight Grade 1 victories in his career to date, including the 2017 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga Race Course. A regular rider of Sackatoga Stable’s Tiz the Law, which Saratoga Living picked as its top early Kentucky Derby contender, Franco finished ninth in the Saratoga standings with 17 wins in 2019.
Fun fact: Franco rode five winners at Aqueduct Racetrack on February 21. It was the third time in his career he’d won five races on a single card.
Born: December 19, 1994
Birthplace: Carolina, Puerto Rico
Height: 5′ 1″
Weight: 112 pounds
Manny Franco’s recent riding statistics
Year Mounts Wins Win % Earnings
2016 1,480 192 13% $12,479,746 2017 1,327 187 14% $12,688,342 2018 1,419 252 18% $17,088,709 2019 1,340 221 16% $16,688,680 2020 196 48 24% $2,515,805*
Manny Franco’s career riding statistics (2003-2019)
Mounts Wins Win % Earnings
2013-2020 9,282 1,336 14.39% $83,310,633*
*2020 and career stats through March 1