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LUIS URBANO

A renown former amateur Champion Jockey and today, a thoroughbred racehorse trainer.

Luis Alberto Urbano Grajales was born in Madrid (Spain) on September 27, 1972 to a family related during two generations with thoroughbred racing horse’s world as owners and breeders and amateur jockeys. In this environment, he learned to ride horses from a very early age. With a degree in Business Administration by the Southern Mississippi University in Madrid, Luis had already chosen from a very early age to dedicate himself completely to his vocation, that of the world of horseracing. He won the Spanish Amateur Jockeys’ Championship on six occasions. This led him to represent his country in the World Championships. In this competition, he was crowned World Flat Champion twice and was runner up twice in the flat and jumps category. Throughout his career as one of the world’s leading amateur jockeys of all time, Luis harvested a sizeable collection of cups to fill his trophy cabinet, amongst which included winning the prestigious Epsom Derby for Amateurs; the ‘The Moet & Chandon Silver Magnum’, three years in a row between 1995-97 on Bo Knows Best, Discord and Arabian Story, the last named for Her Majesty The Queen and Lord Huntingdon. Also, from 1985, he developed as a horses trainer in France, England and The United States, under some well known trainers Chevalier du Faux, Mr. Luca Cumani, Lord Huntingdon, Mr. Robert Frankel and Mr. Patrick Biancone. In 1998, he established himself in California where it obtained his first trainer license in 2001 and trained in Santa Anita, Hollywood Park and Del Mar until September, 2003, in which he moved to Pau, in the southwest of France, where he lives now and continues his training career. Pau is considered the second most important training center of the country after Chantilly. English and French speaking with fluency, which has allowed him to carry out his trainer's task out of Spain and to propitiate that thoroughbred’s owners French, Americans, Britons, Chinese, Canadians and Australians, besides Spanish, have entrusted to him his horses with good results. A clear example is his victory in Dubai, in 2009, with the horse Kachgaï owned by Mme. Devin. Luis Urbano’s style is that of a very active and passionate professional, hardworking and with a very keen eye for detail, who continues to ride his charges in the mornings during training, that way gaining the best results from them and for his clients. Team Urbano comprises the third and fourth generations of the family’s passion for horses and racing. Patricia is in charge of administration and stable enhancement. Luis Junior is the pupil amateur rider and is kept very busy in the holidays and at weekends, riding on the track. Veronica and Agatha have both started riding and Agatha in particular has a natural affinity with all animals and is intrepid with them.