It didn't take apprentice Ailsa Morrison long to get acquainted with the Gulfstream Park this weekend, scoring aboard Summer Shandee ($55.20) in Saturday's first race in only her third mount since switching her tack from Aqueduct to the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track.
“I'm on Cloud-9 right now. It's a tough meet – the Championship Meet. To get that win is very special,” the seven-pound apprentice said.
Morrison, who started riding at Woodbine outside Toronto in 2019 before taking a year off, rode three winners from 35 mounts at Aqueduct.
“I listened to my agent who said it would be a good spot in the summer,” said the 23-year-old native of New Brunswick, Canada, whose book is handled by Mike Sellitto. “So, this is where we set our sights on.”
Morrison saved ground aboard Summer Shandee around the first turn in the 1 1/16-mile maiden race on Tapeta while stalking the pace in fourth. Summer Shandee followed front-running Sonic Kitten into the stretch before being steered to the inside, and the son of Summer Front Kicked in to graduate by a length.
“I was patient with him. I was trying to go outside with him for the footing, but the rail opened up,” Morrison said. “The opportunity presented itself and I took a shot and he delivered.”
Morrison, who didn't grow up in a racing family, rode show horses before eventually gravitating to the racetrack.
“I started galloping as a supplement for my event riding to become a stronger rider, and I never looked back,” said Morrison, who rode two horses on Friday's card before breaking through with a victory Saturday.
Wilfred Vasquez Rides First U.S. Winner at Gulfstream
Jockey Wilfred Vasquez, who earned the nickname 'Wonder Boy' in Venezuela due to his success as an apprentice, rode his first U.S. winner in Saturday's Race 3 at Gulfstream Park.
The 18-year-old jockey guided Atomic Rose ($16) to victory in a mile maiden claiming race to notch his career achievement on his 15th U.S. mount.
Vasquez is the youngest winning rider in the history of the Simon Bolivar, Venezuela's most prized stakes race, when he guided Apistos to victory in 2020 at the age of 17.
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