A riding double Friday gave Kylee Jordan nine victories at the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting, one more than her total last season when she debuted in Hot Springs as an apprentice jockey.
“It was a really good day,” Jordan, 20, said Saturday morning. “Very good day.”
Jordan won the third race aboard Penetrator ($18.20) for trainer Todd Jordan and the fourth race aboard Uncle Ray ($17) for owner/trainer F. Dewaine Loy. Penetrator was significant because it marked the first career Oaklawn victory for Todd Jordan, who has a small string this season in Hot Springs. He's also Kylee Jordan's father.
“Really glad I got a win for him here,” Kylee Jordan said.
Penetrator was making his first start since Todd Jordan claimed the 4-year-old Point of Entry colt for $16,000 out of a third-place finish Jan. 27 at Oaklawn. Penetrator resurfaced Friday for a $25,000 claiming price.
“I knew he was doing good,” Kylee Jordan said. “I was pretty excited about him. I jogged him the day before and he was feeling really good. I didn't think he would win, honestly. I mean, there were a lot of horses dropping down and the race kind of came up a little bit tough. But I knew dad's horse would run good. All of his horses have been running pretty good here.”
Friday's double helped boost Jordan's purse earnings at the meet to $432,981. She amassed $327,095 last season. Seven of her eight victories at the 2021-2022 meeting came after she returned from a dislocated shoulder suffered in a late December spill. She resumed riding in late January.
“A lot better than last year,” Jordan said, describing her 2022-2023 meeting.
Jordan said she will once again ride at Oaklawn and Will Rogers Downs this spring. Will Rogers opens March 6 and races Mondays and Tuesdays (dark days at Oaklawn) next month. Jordan said she's already made the 4 ½-hour drive from Hot Springs to Claremore, Okla., twice this month to work horses at Will Rogers Downs.
“That's the plan,” Jordan said, referring to double duty. “I've been going over the last couple of weeks. I went over there on Mondays. I worked 12 horses the first Monday and 13 horses the second Monday, I think.”
Oaklawn's 2022-2023 meeting ends May 6. Will Rogers Downs will race until May 17.
Jordan's career took off last year at Will Rogers Downs, where she captured her first career riding title. She added her second riding title last year at Prairie Meadows in her native Iowa.
The post “A Lot Better Than Last Year’: Jockey Kylee Jordan Improving Upon Past Oaklawn Success appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
