Assessing the jockey is critical when choosing a horse to bet on. On average, only about twenty percent of all jockeys win around eighty percent of all races. A big part of that consistency comes from the jockey’s riding ability, but an equally important factor is that owners of the best horses want the best jockeys riding them. Once a jockey has established themselves among the best, owners of top horses will seek them out to help win as many races and as much prize money as possible. The more races won and the larger the purses, the more likely a horse is to remain a strong earner well into retirement through stud and breeding fees, which is another reason owners pair their best horses with top jockeys. Knowing which jockeys are the strongest in a given field can meaningfully improve handicapping results.