Jockey Kyle Frey enters Friday's program at Del Mar with 998 wins from 5,903 career starts according to Equibase statistics. He's scheduled aboard three mounts in the eight-race program and is booked for three more on Saturday and six on Sunday.
The 29-year-old from Tracy, Calif., said he has been aware of his proximity to the milestone 1,000th victory for “a week or two,” but is approaching it philosophically.
“I embrace it, but I'm not thinking about it or paying attention to it that much,” Frey said. “I've noticed that sometimes when guys near a milestone they slow down – I don't if it's because they're too aware or nervous or what. I'm not nervous, I'm just trying to go out and do my best to win every race.”
Frey has 157 wins from 759 mounts with purse earnings of $4.1 million and ranks 50th among jockeys nationally for money won this year. He came to the summer meeting with plans to ride a few days at Del Mar and then return to Golden Gate Fields in San Francisco, where he was among the top riders.
He won two races the second day of the local meeting, then the Fleet Treat Stakes on I'm So Anna for trainer Steve Sherman on the second weekend and tabled the notion of returning to Northern California. He notched 14 wins from 145 mounts with purse earnings of nearly $1 million and finished eighth in the rider standings for the 31-day session, a breakthrough time in what has become the best season of his career, topping $4 million in purse earnings for the first time since 2011.
“That (summer meeting) meant everything,” Frey said. “I owe it to the trainers who gave me a chance on good horses. I was able to execute to their plans early and things worked out well.”
With 12 mounts over the next three days, Frey estimated chances are “pretty good” he'll be able to put 1,000 wins in the rearview mirror.
“Anytime you're in a race, you've got a chance,” Frey said.
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