Four jockeys has been named as finalist for the 2020 StallioneSearch.com Rising Star Jockey Award.

DALLAS, TX—JANUARY 26, 2021—StallioneSearc.com is pleased to announce four-finalists for the second-annual Rising Star Jockey Award today.

In an effort to promote the growth in the sport of Quarter Horse racing amongst the younger generation of horsemen and horsewomen, Stallionesearch created the StallioneSearch Rising Star Award's to reward excellence in achievement on the racetrack from young, up and coming jockeys.

StallioneSearch will also present the second-annual StallioneSearch Rising Star Stallion Award to the leading first-crop sire of 2020.

The 2019 Rising Star Award Jockey Award winner was Jesus Ayala, who had a standout year in 2019, finishing as the ninth leading Quarter Horse jockey in the nation with earnings of $1,511,006, and won both the Millie Vessels Memorial Handicap(G1), and the Brad Mckinzie Winter Championship Stakes(G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course.

The list of nominees for the 2020 StallioneSearch Rising Star Jockey Award are:

• Oscar Andrade, Jr. had victories in the Robert Boniface Invitational Championship(G1) aboard Chocalitito, Southern California Derby(G1) aboard Nomadic, and the PCQHRA Breeders' Futurity(G2) at Los Alamitos as highlights of his 2020 campaign. Andrade was the 20th leading jockey in the country with $1,159,339 in earnings for 2020 from 62 winners.

• Armando Cervantes, who has predominantly raced in California at Los Alamitos for 2020, finished the season as the 10th leading jockey in the nation with earnings of $1,537,893. Some of the 41 winners that Cervantes rode in 2020 include Los Alamitos Two-Million Futurity(G1) winner Apollitical Patty, Mildred Vessels Handicap(G1) and Las Damas Handicap(G1) winner Curls Happy Wagon, and the Blane Schvaneveldt Handicap winner Zoom On Jess.

• Alan Hernandez made the list of nominees for the Rising Star Jockey award based on his accomplishments in the saddle for 2020. Hernandez found the winners circle with 38 mounts in 2020, with while earning $1,102,226 for the year. The New Mexico and Texas based rider saw victories in the New Mexico State Fair Derby aboard Donelli, the Mr Jet Moore Handicap(G2) at Ruidoso aboard Valiant Tiberias, and a runner-up finish aboard KJ Mucho Macho Man in the Texas Classic Derby(G1).

• Justine Klaiber made racing headlines in 2020, as she became the first female-rider to have won a $1-Million Dollar Grade 1 race at the prestigious Los Alamitos Racecourse. Klaiber guided Eddie Willis trained Apollitical Gold to victory in the 2020 Golden State Million Futurity(G1) at Los Alamitos, as well as winning the Laico Bird(G3) at Remington Park aboard Best Of You. The Oklahoma-based rider finished 2020 as the 11th highest earning jockey in all of Quarter Horse racing with $1,445,333, and lead all four of the nominees for this award with 71 winners.

StallioneSearch has enlisted several industry leaders as voters for the 2020 Rising Star Award. They include:

• Danny Cardoza- 1979 All American Futurity(G1) winner, two-time Champion of Champions winner and AQHA Hall of Fame jockey Danny Cardoza
• James Lackey- Two-time Champion of Champions winner and 1987 AQHA World Champion Jockey
• Freddy Carmona- journalist for StallioneSearch En Español (Stallionesearchesp.com)
• James Flores- All American Futurity(G1) winning and two-time AQHA World Champion Jockey
• Cody Jensen- Two-time All American Futurity(G1) winner, Champion of Champions(G1) winner, and two-time AQHA World Champion Jockey
• Ricky Ramirez- All American Futurity(G1) winner and AQHA World Champion Jockey
• Greg Thompson- Journalist for StallioneSearch.com
• G.R. Carter- Two-time All American Futurity(G1) winner, Champion of Champions(G1) winner, All-time leader of wins and earnings in QH racing, and 10-time AQHA World Champion Jockey

In accordance with the awards process of the AQHA, only jockeys in good standing with the AQHA year of racing will be eligible for the award. The award winner eligibility is for those riders under the age of 30, and within the first five-years of race-riding Quarter Horses..

The 2020 Rising Star Jockey Award winner will be announced Monday February 1, 2021 on StallioneSearch.com.