A proud statue of Avelino Gomez stands at the front of Woodbine Racetrack, a fitting tribute to one of thoroughbred racing’s greats. Gomez, who began racing a the age of 14 at the urging of an uncle won his first major race in 1944 and captured his first headlines as a jockey by riding six winners in an afternoon at Ascot park in Ohio. But it was 12 years later, after resettling his family to Etobicoke, when “El Perfecto” began his formative years in the sport.

Gomez won a total of 4,078 races during his brilliant career, mostly out of Etobicoke’s Woodbine Racetrack, and was Canada’s top race winning jockey in 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964 and 1966. He was selected top rider in North America in 1956. He won the Queen’s Plate on four occasions.

“Never, in the history of Canadian racing, has there ever been another jockey who, through the sheer overpowering magic of his personality, dominated thoroughbred racing for 25 years” wrote famed Toronto sports columnist Jim Coleman in 1980.

Avelino Gomez was inducted into the Canadian Racing Hall of Fame in 1978, the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in 1982, and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. He also won the coveted Sovereign Award of Merit for his contributions to the sport in 1978.

Tragically, during the running of the Canadian Oakes Stakes at Woodbine in 1980, Gomez died following a three horse accident.

In 1984 friends established the Avelino Gomez Foundation, to aid hardship cases within the racing community. In addition, each year on the anniversary of the Canadian Oakes, the Avelino Gomez Memorial Trophy is awarded to a Canadian jockey who has made a significant contribution to thoroughbred racing.