Kentucky Derby jockey profile: David Cohen

Who is David Cohen?

Through the years, jockey David Cohen has carved out a productive career at racetracks across the country.

The statistics paint an encouraging picture — since he debuted at Bay Meadows in 2004, the 36-year-old Californian has won more than 1,500 races and close to $59 million in purse money. Along the way, he has picked up 11 graded wins and a couple Grade 1 victories.

But the raw numbers don't define the obstacles Cohen has overcome to reach the point where he stands today, on the verge of riding in his first Kentucky Derby (G1). His partnership with Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) winner Keepmeinmind has propelled Cohen back to the spotlight, seven years after a significant injury sent him to the sideline for an extended period of time.

The first decade of Cohen’s career was dotted with major highlights. He won the 2005 Malibu S. (G1) aboard 20-1 longshot Proud Tower Too, a colt he later rode to a decisive victory in the 2006 Dubai Golden Shaheen (G1). In 2009, Cohen won 288 races, which ranked sixth among all jockeys in the nation. He won meet titles at Delaware Park and Parx, then tried his hand on the New York circuit and picked up a quartet of graded wins from 2010 to 2012.

Arguably Cohen’s greatest triumph came in the 2012 Travers S. (G1) at Saratoga, where he guided 33-1 longshot Golden Ticket to finish in a dead-heat for victory. Certainly the Travers stands as the main highlight from Cohen’s 2-2-2  record (12 starts, 17% win rate) riding 1 1/4 miles on dirt, the conditions of the Kentucky Derby.

But less than two years later, Cohen broke his leg in a paddock accident, which derailed his momentum for eight months. He briefly returned to riding, but found he needed more time to recover, and the death of his father and sister ultimately prompted Cohen to take a prolonged break from the sport.

Cohen made his way back in late 2017, and he hasn’t missed a beat since. Riding extensively for Robertino Diodoro (the trainer of Keepmeinmind), Cohen has won more than 300 races and four graded stakes since his return to action. Should he visit the Kentucky Derby winner’s circle, you can bet Cohen will be in the running for horse racing’s top comeback story of the decade.

In advance of the Kentucky Derby, let’s review Cohen’s post-injury riding record through a handicapping lens and analyze his performances on dirt at a handful of tracks where Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races are run.

What are Jockey David Cohen's records related to the Kentucky Derby?

Below are statistics for Cohen's efforts at race tracks with more than two Road to the Kentucky Derby prep races, plus lifetime data at the 1 1/4 mile distance and Churchill Downs.

Lifetime record over 1 1/4 miles on dirt:

Lifetime record in the Kentucky Derby:

Cohen at Aqueduct

Aqueduct has been a bright spot for Cohen, as he has rebuilt his career. His 17-for-123 (14%) record on dirt includes a pair of 1 1/8-mile stakes wins in December of 2018, when Cohen employed forwardly placed rides to win the Alex M. Robb S. on Mr. Buff and the Queens County S. aboard Name Changer.

Cohen at Churchill Downs

Cohen’s 22-for-276 (8%) record over the Churchill Downs main track is a little light, especially when compared to the success he has enjoyed at nearby Keeneland.

On the bright side, the most significant victory of Cohen’s comeback came over the Louisville oval. In the 2020 Kentucky Jockey Club, Cohen urged Keepmeinmind to rally from last and prevailed by three-quarters of a length.

Cohen at Fair Grounds

Cohen’s 1-for-7 (14%) record over the Fair Grounds main track includes a memorable ride in a stakes race. In the 2019 Tenacious S., Cohen somehow convinced the pace-pressing Pioneer Spirit to dig deep and hold off favored Blended Citizen to win by a head.

Cohen at Keeneland

Cohen has only ridden 61 races over the Keeneland main track since his return to action, but his 11 victories have produced a respectable 18% win rate.

Stakes wins over the Lexington oval have proven elusive, though Cohen did guide 52-1 longshot Keepmeinmind to a runner-up effort in the 2020 Breeders’ Futurity (G1), where he was beaten only by eventual champion two-year-old Essential Quality.

Cohen at Oaklawn Park

Cohen has ridden extensively at Oaklawn since the restart of his career, and has a 181-for-1,053 (17%) record.

The 2019 meet was particularly memorable, as Cohen rode 75 winners to rank atop the jockey standings. He scored stakes wins aboard Heartwood in the King Cotton S. and Power Gal in the Martha Washington S., with the latter a stop on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.

Cohen also won the 2018 Rainbow Miss S. aboard Georgia’s Reward and picked up a runner-up effort in the 2021 Bayakoa S. (G3) aboard longshot Our Super Freak, who finished just two lengths behind two-time Eclipse Award winner Monomoy Girl.