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Month: January 2023
Apprentice, Eclipse Award Finalist Jeiron Barbosa Makes Gulfstream Debut Wednesday
After spending the early part of his first full U.S. winter at his Maryland home base, standout teenage apprentice jockey Jeiron Barbosa is enjoying some time in the sun this week – in more ways than one.
The Puerto Rico native, who turned 19 last month, made his riding debut at Gulfstream Park Wednesday, finishing fourth in Race 2 aboard 5-year-old Gypsy Kitten, trained and co-owned by Gerald Brooks.
Barbosa has another mount for Brooks and co-owner Carl Hess Jr., 4-year-old filly Breezy Connection, in Race 2 Thursday, a maiden claimer where they are the 8-5 program favorite. That night, Barbosa will be in attendance for the Eclipse Awards at The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla. where he is a finalist for champion apprentice of 2022.
“I appreciate the opportunity that the trainer gave me to ride today. I am riding another horse tomorrow, and I am very excited to be here,” Barbosa, still getting a handle on the language, said through an interpreter. “I feel very excited and very proud. It's an honor to even be nominated as one of the top three apprentice riders in the country.”
Based year-round in Maryland, riding primarily at Laurel Park and historic Pimlico Race Course, Barbosa launched his pro career Jan. 1, 2022 in Puerto Rico and won three of 72 races before coming to the U.S. Just two days after arriving, he earned his first domestic wins on each of his first two mounts – Heliacial Rising and Ludicrous Mode – March 25 at Laurel. Barbosa picked up his first career stakes win with Music Amore in Laurel's Searching Aug. 6.
In 2022, Barbosa ranked second in wins (182) and purses earned ($5,685,182) and was third with 1,033 starters among apprentice riders. Represented by agent Tom Stift, he won three titles in Maryland – the spring and fall stands at Laurel as well as Pimlico's boutique fall meet. He ended the year with 107 wins at the two tracks, ranking second only to four-time overall champion Jevian Toledo.
“I'm very happy because we had a great year. We were able to win a lot of races and three riding titles. I have to thank my agent and all the owners and trainers that gave me the opportunity to ride their horses,” Barbosa said. “We put in a lot of hard work during the year and to win the Eclipse would mean everything to me.”
Joining Barbosa as Eclipse Award finalists are Vincente Del-Cid and Jose Antonio Gomez. Louisiana-based Del-Cid, out since late November with an injury, led all apprentice riders with 246 wins while Gomez, who rode primarily in New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, was tops with more than $7 million in purse earnings.
Barbosa could become the 13th Maryland-based rider to win the apprentice Eclipse and first since Alexander Crispin in 2020. Other to do so include Hall of Famers Chris McCarron (1974) and Kent Desormeaux (1987) as well as Ronnie Franklin (1978), Alberto Delgado (1982), Allen Stacy (1986), Mike Luzzi (1989), Mark Johnston (1990), Jeremy Rose (2001), Ryan Fogelsonger (2002), Victor Carrasco (2013) and Weston Hamilton (2018). Both Carrasco and Crispin continue to ride in Maryland.
Barbosa leads Laurel's current winter meet which began Jan. 1 with 17 wins and $612,860 in purse earnings from 68 mounts.
“When I was in Puerto Rico at the jockey school, I went to Maryland and saw the horses breezing in the morning, and I liked it so much I had the desire to ride there. It was a dream come true when I got there,” Barbosa said. “I thank God for the opportunity, and I feel like I have a real shot to win.”
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Hopper Returns From Six-Month Layoff, Faces Eight Rivals In San Pasqual
Idle since June 11, Bob Baffert's trainee Hopper will be bidding for his second consecutive graded stakes win in Saturday's Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita as he heads a field of nine older horses going 1 1/8 miles.
A runaway 5 ½ length winner of the G3 Affirmed Stakes last June, Hopper, who broke his maiden going seven furlongs in his second start on May 7 of last year, earned a solid 95 Beyer Speed Figure in the Affirmed and despite his lack of recency, could pose an elusive front-running target in the San Pasqual.
Owned by Lanni Bloodstock, SF Racing, LLC and Madaket Stables, LLC, Hopper will be ridden by Edwin Maldonado, who was aboard for a sixth place finish in his six furlong maiden turf debut three starts back on Feb. 25, 2022. By the War Front stallion Declaration of War, Hopper is out of the Caesour mare Irridescence.
Most recently third going 1 1/8 miles in the G3 Native Diver Stakes Nov. 27 at Del Mar, Phil D'Amato's Newgrange posted a 97 Beyer two starts back in taking a one-mile classified allowance in gate to wire fashion here on Nov. 6.
A 4-year-old colt by Violence out of the Empire Maker mare Bella Chianti, Newgrange will be ridden for the first time by leading man Juan Hernandez. A winner of last year's G3 Sham and G3 Southwest Stakes, he's owned by David Bernsen, LLC, Little Red Feather Racing and Rockingham Ranch.
With an overall mark of 7-4-0-2, Newgrange boasts earnings of $325,000.
Perhaps the biggest question mark in the San Pasqual is the Peter Miller-trained Perfect Flight, a handy winner of the ungraded Zia Park Derby two starts back on Nov. 22, but a distant ninth here going seven panels in the opening day G1 Malibu Stakes Dec. 26.
Twice graded stakes placed routing on turf last year, Perfect Flight has good tactical speed and will be ridden for the first time by Joe Bravo. A 4-year-old colt by Uncle Mo, Perfect Flight, who is three for seven on dirt and is owned by Gary Barber, looms dangerous at a price.
A winner of the G1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar in August of 2021, Hronis Racing's 6-year-old Tripoli fits well with these horses and always merits respect in this context. Trained by John Sadler, Tripoli will get the first-time services of Kizushi Kimura, who seeks his third stakes victory of the young meet.
A full horse by Kitten's Joy, Tripoli is 21-4-4-3 overall with earnings of $920,460.
THE GRADE 2 SAN PASQUAL WITH JOCKEYS & WEIGHTS IN POST POSITION ORDER
Race 8 of 9 Approximate post time 4 p.m. PT
- Hopper—Edwin Maldonado–122
- Tripoli—Kazushi Kimura—120
- Parnelli—Victor Espinoza—120
- Perfect Flight—Joe Bravo—120
- American Admiral—Ramon Vazquez—120
- Newgrange—Juan Hernandez—122
- Go On—Mario Gutierrez—120
- Breakfast Ride—Luis Contreras—120
- Messier—Kent Desormeaux—122
First post time for a nine-race card on Saturday is at 12:30 p.m. with admission gates opening at 10:30 a.m.
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Department Of Agriculture Restricts Movement Of Horses From Gulfstream To Kentucky Tracks
The Kentucky Department of Agriculture issued the following notice on Wednesday, Jan. 25, following the confirmed EHV-1 positive in Barn 21 at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.:
Movement of horses from Gulfstream to Kentucky Tracks: Horses moving from Gulfstream racetrack (or having recently been on the grounds) can be allowed entry if the horse meets the published requirements for entry in addition to the modifications listed below:
- Prior to a horse destined to a Kentucky track/training facility departing, the horse's trainer or veterinarian is to contact the equine medical director, or his designated person, and provide required information on each horse that is seeking approval to move to the track.
- Approval of a designated horse to enter the Kentucky destination track by that track's equine medical director is based on the condition that the horse is to be temperature monitored and recorded twice daily for seven (7) days post arrival with the temperature logs posted on the stall. Any elevated fever or other sign or suspicion of illness shall immediately be reported to the equine medical director.
- The horse is to travel on a Health Certificate showing examination and issuance of the certificate performed the day of departure or during the 12hours immediately preceding the departure. The certificate shall have the EHV vaccination recorded on it as well as the date the equine medical director approved the move and the estimated time of departure and KY arrival.
These requirements are being adjusted in consultation with the track's equine medical directors and are subject to change without any advanced notice being provided should the disease event at Gulfstream Park change.
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