Trainer Kenny McPeek's young horses have flourished this season at Oaklawn. One reason, McPeek said, is the work behind the scenes of Robby Albarado, who spent much of the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s as a nationally prominent jockey before announcing his retirement in December 2021.
Albarado, 49, was Oaklawn's leading rider in 1996 and 1997. He returned to Hot Springs in 2022-2023 to work as an exercise rider for McPeek, whose body of work this season includes matching his career high with four victories Dec. 31, the first card in Oaklawn history exclusively for 2-year-olds.
McPeek's memorable New Year's Eve was highlighted by victories in the Renaissance Stakes with Frosted Departure and the Year's End Stakes with Defining Purpose. Albarado regularly galloped both horses during the meeting.
“He's been a big part of the team,” McPeek said. “He has been for a while. When he was riding, obviously, rode a lot for me and has helped us with a lot of the young horses, especially helping us evaluate them and get them ready. He's certainly knows the difference between a good horse and an average horse. That's a valuable asset.”
Among Albarado's last major riding victories was the 2020 Preakness (G1) aboard the McPeek-trained Swiss Skydiver. Albarado said he had been getting on babies for McPeek the last couple of years in Florida and was headed there again when the trainer asked if he could help out at Oaklawn.
“Not a bad stop,” Albarado said. “Got on some nice horses for him. I like this job. Kenny's a great guy to work for.”
Asked if getting on horses daily could spark a riding comeback, Albarado said, “No,” and pointed to “14 surgeries” during a career that began in 1990.
“Getting older,” Albarado said. “Mind is still there to ride, but not the body.”
Albarado said he has no desire to train and continues to ponder a potential career as a jockey agent, possibly as early as this spring in Kentucky.
“A few (jockeys) have come to me – a couple of top jocks, too,” Albarado said. “I want a young jockey, a young kid that I can help come up.”
According to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization, Albarado amassed 5,222 victories and $221,561,248 in purses in his North American career.
In addition to Swiss Skydiver, the country's champion 3-year-old filly of 2020, Albarado was the regular rider of 2003 Horse of the Year Mineshaft and Curlin, the 2007 and 2008 Horse of the Year.
McPeek entered Sunday with 11 victories in 2022-2023 at Oaklawn, a single-season career high in Hot Springs. He said he plans to start recent Oaklawn winners Mendelssohns March and Interlock Empire in the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 1.
The post ‘He Certainly Knows The Difference Between A Good Horse And An Average Horse’: McPeek Credits Former Jock Albarado As ‘Big Part’ Of Stable’s Oaklawn Success appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
