NEWS
Dos Ramos to receive Avelino Gomez Memorial Award
Posted: Friday, May 17, 2002
Jockey Richard Dos Ramos has been named this year's recipient of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award, which recognizes the achievements of Canadian-born or -raised riders or riders who have been based in the nation for five years or more.
The honor will be presented on Woodbine Oaks day on June 8 in memory of Gomez, who died from injuries suffered in a three-horse spill in the 1980 edition of the race, then known as the Canadian Oaks.
"I wish I had the opportunity to ride against Avelino," said Dos Ramos, who began his career in 1981. "I saw highlights of him race, and I heard so many great things. I have a great deal of respect for him and for what he did for the Thoroughbred industry … I was speechless when I found out about this award."
Dos Ramos sat in Avelino's stall in the Woodbine jockey room for almost 15 years without knowing who previously occupied it.
"When someone told me, it gave me a great sense of pride," he said. "That's just one of the many reasons I'm proud to have this honor."
Dos Ramos, 39, twice won the Sovereign Award as Canada's top apprentice jockey— in 1981 and '82. He finished third with Sir Khaled in the Queen's Plate (Can-G1) in 1983 and guided eventual Canadian Horse of the Year Benburb at odds of 30-to-1 to victory in the 1992 Molson Export Million Stakes (Can-G2).
Dos Ramos's biggest victory came in the 1999 Canadian International Stakes (Can-G1) aboard Thornfield, who went on to be named Canada's Horse of the Year that year.
Other winners of the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award, which has been presented annually since 1984, include Ron Turcotte, John Longden, Sandy Hawley, Don MacBeth, Chris Rogers, Jeff Fell, Lloyd Duffy, Hugo Dittfach, Robin Platts, Larry Attard, Don Seymour, David Gall, Richard Grubb, Irwin Driedger, David Clark, Jim McKnight, and Chris Loseth.
