JAMES Graham (right), the Dublin-born flat jockey who rode his 3,000th American winner last month, has been nominated for the 76th George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award at Santa Anita.

The award, which recognises accomplishments on and off the track, is named in honour of the jockey who rode the great Seabiscuit in the 1930s. The winner is determined by the votes of fellow jockeys and can only be earned once.

James is up against some stiff competition. The other nominees are Kendrick Carmouche (has ridden 3,900 winners), Brian Hernandez Jr (won the Kentucky Derby and Oaks last year), Juan Hernandez (seven-times champion rider at Santa Anita), and Alfredo Juarez, a prolific winner on the New Mexico circuit over the past 20 years.

Now 45 years of age, James knew he wanted to be a jockey since he was a schoolboy. He attended RACE and rode in Ireland before moving to the US in 2002. He rode his first stateside winner at River Downs in July 2003.

Two decades into his career, Graham consistently ranks among North America’s top jockeys.

He rides regularly at Fair Grounds, Churchill Downs, Keeneland and Ellis Park, where in 2019 he led all jockeys in wins.