Ruperto Donoso
| Ruperto Donoso | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Jockey |
| Born |
November 10, 1914 Santiago, Chile |
| Died | August 16, 2001 |
| Career wins | Not found |
| Major racing wins | |
|
Newport Purse (1938) Belmont Stakes (1947) | |
| Significant horses | |
| Phalanx, Take Wing | |
Ruperto Donoso (November 10, 1914 - August 16, 2001) was a jockey in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing best known for riding Phalanx to victory in the 1947 Belmont Stakes. He also rode Gilded Knight to a second place finish in the 1939 Preakness Stakes.
A native of Santiago, Chile, before going to the United States, Donoso rode in Santiago and at the Hipódromo de Monterrico in Lima, Peru.
Ruperto Donoso was required to do mandatory service with the Chilean Army and as such did not race in 1942 and 1943, returning on July 24, 1944 to compete at New Yorks Belmont Park. In the 1947 U.S. Triple Crown series, superstar jockey Eddie Arcaro rode Phalanx to a second-place finish in the Kentucky Derby and to a third in the Preakness Stakes. It was then that trainer Syl Veitch decided to replace Arcaro with the C. V. Whitney stable's secondary jockey in the Belmont Stakes. Donoso had ridden Phalanx to two wins in 1946 but as the stable's first string jockey, Arcaro had had first choice on all mounts.