Deshawn L. Parker (born January 8, 1971) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing jockey who is a two-time United States Champion. In addition, on May 2, 2016, he became only the thirty-second jockey in the history of North American Thoroughbred racing to win 5,000 races.Daily Racing Form May 2, 2016 article titled "Deshawn Parker wins his 5,000th race" On June 21, 2022, while racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, Parker rode his 6,000th career winner, For Mama, becoming one of only 21 jockeys to reach that milestone.
Career Deshawn Parker began his professional riding career in 1988. At 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m), he is one of the tallest jockeys in racing. In his first five years riding from 1988 through 1992, Deshawn Parker won just 60 races in total. The next year he won 72, more than the previous five combined and continued to improve. In 2002 he broke into the 200 level and in 2008 reached 300 plus wins for the first time and would accomplish that for five straight years including 2011 when he attained 400 wins.Equibase statistics for Deshawn L. Parker through June 23, 2018
In 2010, Deshawn Parker won 377 races to earn his first national title. It marked the first time an African-American had done so in the sport since James "Soup" Perkins one hundred and fifteen years earlier in 1895. Parker won his second national title in 2011 with 400 wins. He is also the winningest African-American in history. On May 6, 2012, Parker won six races on a single racecard at Mountaineer Racetrack in New Cumberland, West Virginia, where he had made his home base for many years and where he is the all-time leading jockey in wins.Bloodhorse.com May 7, 2012August 21, 2015 article titled "Rare Upset for Jockey Parker at Mountaineer" In 2012, he was honored by the Jockeys' Guild with its Laffit Pincay Jr. Award and three times has been a finalist for the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award winning in 2021.January 26, 2015 Jockeys' Guild
References
External links Voice of America radio September 30, 2010, program 'Winning Ponies', Deshawn Parker interview by host John Engelhardt Rachel McLaughlin interview titled "Getting to know Jockey Deshawn Parker" published April 21, 2017