Jockey Alex Solis, who came from his native Panama with a few dollars and a dream and had so much success he made it to the Hall of Fame, officially announced his retirement on Sunday, seven months after his last mount.

 Solis made the announcement at Del Mar on TVG.

 Solis, 53 won 5,035 races during his career. He was best known for partnering Snow Chief to a victory in the Preakness Stakes in 1986 en route to the 3-year-old championship that year, as well as for his long association with the champion sprinter Kona Gold, who gave Solis his first Breeders’ Cup win in the 2000 Sprint at Churchill Downs.

 Solis won three Breeders’ Cup races, including the Classic aboard Pleasantly Perfect, whom he also partnered to a victory in the Dubai World Cup. He also was the regular rider of the tiny but mighty turf mare Megahertz.

 One of his biggest victories came in the 1996 Pacific Classic, when he ended Cigar’s 16-race win streak by riding Dare and Go to an upset victory.

 A full update will be up later at www.drf.com