Mawing named a finalist for national jockey award

Leslie Mawing, the leading rider at Emerald Downs in 2014, is a finalist for one of Thoroughbred racing's most prestigious awards.

November 23, 2014 1:24 pm
Leslie Mawing is one of only four riders with 500 career wins at Emerald Downs. He rode 102 winners in 2014
Leslie Mawing is one of only four riders with 500 career wins at Emerald Downs. He rode 102 winners in 2014

For the Reporter

Leslie Mawing, the leading rider at Emerald Downs in 2014, is a finalist for one of Thoroughbred racing’s most prestigious awards.

Mawing is among five riders named by Santa Anita as finalists for the 2015 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. James Graham, Corey Nakatani, Mike Luzzi and Rosie Napravnik are the other finalists.

The winner will be announced in January and is usually presented with the award in March.

Held in conjunction with the Jockeys’ Guild and voted on by jockeys nationwide, the Woolf Award is presented to a jockey whose career and personal character earn esteem for both the rider and the sport of Thoroughbred racing. It is named in memory of the Hall of Fame jockey who suffered fatal injuries following a racing accident at Santa Anita on Jan. 3, 1946.

Mawing rode 102 winners at Emerald Downs in 2014 – 32 more than runner-up Rocco Bowen – and notched his first Longacres Mile victory aboard Horse of the Meeting Stryker Phd.

A 40-year-old native of South Africa, Mawing has 2,240 career wins and more than $24 million in purse earnings.

At Emerald Downs, Mawing ranks No. 4 all-time both in wins, 597, and stakes wins, 32.