Once a young boy riding horses through the streets of his home country, Puerto Rico, John Velazquez—known endearingly as Johnny V—has become one of the most renowned jockeys of all time. His story is one of grit and determination, and has been made possible thanks to the unwavering support of those closest to him, including his wife, Leona. Now, the power couple is being honored for their dedication to New York’s backstretch community with the 2025 John Hendrickson and Marylou Whitney Award.
The award, formerly known as the Marylou Whitney Award, is presented each year by the New York Race Track Chaplaincy, a non-profit organization that serves the New York backstretch communities of Belmont Park, Aqueduct Racetrack, and Saratoga Race Course with various enrichment programs. The Chaplaincy recently renamed the award to honor Whitney’s late husband John Hendrickson, who passed away suddenly on August 19, 2024.
For those who don’t know Velazquez (and if you’ve made it this long in a horse town without hearing about Johnny V, you might have bigger problems), the jockey has been gracing US racetracks for more than 30 years. He’s won more than 6,600 races and more than $492,000,000 in purses; was inducted into National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame in 2012; and has won two Eclipse Awards as the nation’s outstanding jockey (2004, 2005), six Triple Crown races, and 21 Breeders’ Cup races. In 2022, he was featured on the cover of Saratoga Living ahead of his 1,000th career win at the Spa, which came in August of that year.
The Hall of Famer credits much of his success to his wife and now co-honoree, Leona. When the two met, Leona—the daughter of trainer Leo O’Brien—had a deeper understanding of the sport than John did. She graciously shared her knowledge, which undoubtedly contributed to her husband’s success on the track.
Though the revered jockey boasts an impressive portfolio of accomplishments on the track, it’s his and his wife’s work off the track that makes them a natural choice for the John Hendrickson and Marylou Whitney Award. Velazquez has been an active member of The Jockeys’ Guild for many years, and is currently the co-chairman of the organization. Leona has served on the Belmont Child Care Association board, and her family has been active in a variety of backstretch organizations for several decades.
The couple will be presented with the John Hendrickson and Marylou Whitney Award at the New York Race Track Chaplaincy’s 18th Annual Fundraising Brunch on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at Saratoga National Golf Course.