Lopez Earns Monmouth Riding Title

Sunday, October 27, 2019 | 7:25 pm

Monmouth Park Director of Racing John Heims (R) presents the Leading Jockey Award for 2019 to Jockey Paco Lopez and family after clinching the leading rider title with 109 wins at Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport, NJ. 10/27/19 Photo By Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO

Paco Lopez earned his sixth riding title on Sunday's closing day of Monmouth Park's 2019 meet. With two winners on the final card of the 61-day meet, Lopez finished with 109 victories for the meet, two more than Nik Juarez in the closest rider's race in track history. Jorge Navarro extended his record with his seventh straight training title with 68 winners, while Joseph Besecker, with 23 winners from 72 starters, was the meet's leading owner.

The 34-year-old Lopez last won the riding title at Monmouth Park in 2016.

“It means a lot,” Lopez said. “I think as you get older, you appreciate it more. I wish I could be like Joe Bravo and win 13 titles here, but I don't think anyone is ever going to catch him. I'm happy with what I've done.”

Lopez and Bravo are the only riders in Monmouth Park history to win six or more titles.