Jesus Ayala, Francisco Calderon, James Flores, and Ramiro Garcia were selected finalists for the 2026 Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award, with one rider set to receive the honor this fall.

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By Greg Thompson, StallioneSearch.com

DALLAS, TX–JULY 14, 2026–Four Quarter Horse jockeys have been named finalists for the 2026 Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award, with one rider set to receive the honor this fall.

Jesus Ayala, Francisco Calderon, James Flores, and Ramiro Garcia were selected by the award's nominations committee. The winner will be chosen by previous recipients of the award, with the final vote count expected by the end of July.

The Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award is one of the highest honors in Quarter Horse racing, recognizing jockeys whose careers and character exemplify professionalism, integrity, and sportsmanship both on and off the racetrack.

Past recipients include Roy Brooks (2011), Gilbert Ortiz (2012), G.R. Carter, Jr. (2013), Cody Jensen (2014), Eddie Garcia (2015), Ramon Sanchez (2016), Cesar De Alba (2017), Ricky Ramirez (2018), Esgar Ramirez (2019), Jimmy Brooks (2021), Cody Smith (2022), Eduardo Nicasio (2023), Cruz Mendez (2024), and Stormy Smith (2025).

First presented in 2011, the Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award was modeled after the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, which has honored Thoroughbred jockeys since 1950. Thompson, a highly respected Quarter Horse jockey, died from injuries suffered in a riding accident at Los Alamitos in 2008.

Throughout his career, Thompson was recognized as a leader in the jockeys' room, serving as a Jockeys' Guild senator and jockeys' room representative at Los Alamitos. He also served on the Los Alamitos council of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America.

Plans for the 2026 award presentation ceremony are still pending.

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