Rocky Balboa may still be throwing punches in the twilight of his years, but he has nothing on Frank Amonte Sr. Yesterday at the Big A, Amonte, 71, became the oldest jockey ever to ride in New York, battling for the lead in the ninth race aboard the 4-year-old gelding Eightyninecentsday, trained by his son, Frank Jr., before fading to finish last of eight at 21-1.

Born in Brooklyn on Sept. 5, 1935, Amonte was raised in East New York, where he went to school with lifelong friend and former riding rival Carmine Donofrio, now the state steward at Aqueduct. A top boxer in the PAL’s flyweight division in his early teens, Amonte rode his first race at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans in 1951. In a half-century of riding, he’s won over 100 races, not counting his totals in Cuba, where he was leading rider in 1957.

On Aug. 10, 2005, Amonte because the oldest jockey ever to win a race, aboard Evas Boy at Suffolk Downs. His last win was on Cuff The Quote at Northampton Fair on Sept. 4, 2005. Since then, he’s lost 61 straight.

But it’s not for lack of trying. Yesterday, he hustled Eightyninecentsday, who was beaten 58½ lengths in his previous start, out of the gate from his outside post, whipping and driving him into contention down the backside. After floating wide around the turn, though, Eightyninecentsday began to tire, gradually easing back through the pack.

“We’ll get them next time,” Amonte said.