Jockey
From the moment Eurico Rosa Da Silva saw Woodbine racetrack in 2004, the Brazilian-born jockey was determined to be the leading rider in Canada. Eurico, who grew up on a dairy farm, began riding horses as a child. Once he decided to become a professional rider, he won some 500 races in Brazil and 300 in Macau. It didn’t take long for him to make his mark in Canada and become one of the most successful riders in the country.
It was in May of 2004 that Eurico recorded his first Woodbine victory, aboard the Arthur Silvera-trained Point Hidden. From there, he began his steady ascent in the jockey standings. Eurico won his first Queen’s Plate with Sam-Son Farms’ Eye of the Leopard in 2009, and came right back in 2010 to guide Big Red Mike to a front running win in the Canadian classic for Dom Romeo’s Terra Racing in front of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth.
It was in 2010 that Eurico won his first Woodbine riding title and Sovereign Award for Outstanding Jockey. He would go on to win five more titles and six more Sovereign Awards while embedding his cheerful chant ‘Good luck to everybody’ into the vernacular of Canadian horse racing. In 2017, Eurico travelled to the far east and defeated many of the world’s top riders in the World All-Star Jockey Championship in Japan.
One of Eurico’s most remarkable years came in 2018 when he set a record for the most wins in a single meeting with 237, breaking the long-standing record of 221 set by Mickey Walls in 1991. The next year, Eurico won both the Grade 1 Woodbine Mile and Canadian International aboard El Tormenta and Bullard’s Alley respectively, both of which were longshots.
Undoubtedly, Eurico’s most famous equine partner was Pink Lloyd, whom he rode to 19 stakes victories and multiple championships through to 2019. A member of the Etobicoke Sports Hall of Fame, Eurico was presented with the coveted Avelino Gomez Memorial Award by his peers in 2021.
The personable rider was well known for his generosity both on and off the track. He dedicated his 2015 title season to his young friend, Alexandrea Tersigni, who passed away earlier that year. Behind the scenes, Eurico was also committed to the LongRun Thoroughbred Retirement Society, donating a portion of his earnings each year to support Thoroughbred post-retirement care. He also volunteered with his community’s “Out Of The Cold” program for the homeless.
Eurico retired from the saddle at the completion of the 2019 Woodbine season having ridden in 11,630 races in North America, winning 2,286 with his mounts collecting over $102 million in purses. Including his victories outside of Canada, Eurico won over 2,900 races. Eurico retired at the top of his career and was ready to pursue other interests and spend time with his three children and wife Dr. Orlaith Cleary. Since his retirement, Eurico has authored a book, his heartfelt memoir titled Riding for Freedom. Today, Eurico is a certified mind coach spending his time as a motivational speaker, as well as working with the Jockey’s Guild in the US for the betterment of riders’ mental health.
Congratulations to Eurico on his induction into the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame!