Jockey Mike Luzzi Retires To Become Agent For Son

[Wandering Eyes]

Mike Luzzi, the Eclipse Award winning apprentice jockey of 1989 and a winner of more than 3,500 races has retired from racing and become the agent for his son Lane, who has been based at Aqueduct since October.

“It was his idea,” said Luzzi said of becoming his son's agent. “Reluctantly, I'm going to finish my career. It's tough, I still felt like I had a comeback in me.”

Luzzi, a grandson of the trainer Virgil “Buddy” Raines, won 3,539 races in a career that began in 1988 and saw him take more than 250 stakes victories including the 1991 GI Brooklyn Handicap and the 2007 GI Cigar Mile.

In recent years, Luzzi's career has been interrupted by injuries, limiting his opportunities, especially on the New York Racing Association circuit, one of which he's been a part of since 1994. Luzzi began his career riding on the Maryland circuit. This year, Luzzi rode just one winner from 18 mounts. His final mount came Sept. 4 at Finger Lakes.

“Had a good career, could have done without the injuries,” said Luzzi. “Never rode the [Kentucky] Derby, my biggest regret.”

Lane Luzzi began riding in December 2015 and has spent the majority of his career in the Southwest. He moved his tack to New York in October and he has ridden three winners so far at the Aqueduct fall meet.

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