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Apprentice Andrea Gonzalez Wins First Start At Ellis Park

Andrea Rodriguez had never even been to Ellis Park before, let alone ridden in a race. But the 23-year-old apprentice jockey wasted no time locating the winner's circle.

Rodriguez rode 11-1 shot Artie's Lady to a head victory over 14-1 Midnight Lewis in Saturday's second race for $16,000 claimers in her only mount on the card.

Artie's Lady paid $24.80 to win in taking his second start in a row, with Rodriguez guiding owner-trainer Mark Schwarm's 3-year-old colt to a nose victory May 27 in a $16,000 maiden-claiming race at Indiana Grand.

It's not surprising that Puerto Rico's famed jockey school has produced a promising jockey. Some of the best jockeys in the world — think brothers Irad and Jose Ortiz who are so dominant today, Hall of Famer John Velazquez and the iconic Angel Cordero – are products of Escuela Vocacional Hipica Agustin Mercado Revero. What remains relatively rare are Hispanic female riders. Rodriguez said she was one of two women in her class of 16, though she said the numbers are starting to pick up. They can look to Puerto Rico product Carol Cedeno, who owns six riding titles at Delaware Park, for inspiration.

“We're trying, we're trying,” Rodriguez said with a laugh, referencing Puerto Rican girls who aspire to be jockeys. “Since I was a little kid, I loved horses. My father's family is involved in the horse-racing industry, so I guess I got it.”

Rodriguez started riding in 2019 at Puerto Rico's Hipódromo Camarero before moving on to Tampa and Monmouth Park, finishing the year with two wins out of 47 mounts. Deciding she needed more experience, she began working as an exercise rider for Kentucky-based trainer Ian Wilkes. Rodriguez resumed riding races full-time at Turfway Park, where she struggled but says she learned a lot.

“I knew I needed more time, I needed to learn more,” she said. “So I kept galloping. So when I thought I was ready — and Ian Wilkes thought I was ready – he sent me to the races. I had not a great meet at Turfway, but I learned a lot. When I started at Indiana, I've been doing very good, thanks to that.”

Rodriguez has 12 wins, with five seconds and nine thirds, out of 82 mounts at Indiana Grand, and 15 career victories overall. Her mounts currently get to carry seven pounds fewer than otherwise stipulated in the race conditions, with such apprentice allowances offered to encourage trainers to use inexperienced jockeys. For instance: as a 3-year-old ridden by a seven-pound apprentice, Artie's Lady carried 111 pounds to 122 for Midnight Lewis, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, winner of 4,178 races.

“She's done great,” Schwarm said. “She's rode him twice for me and won both races. I think she has a lot of feel for a horse. She can feel what the horse needs from her, and she doesn't give any more or any less. It seems to be working.”

Rodriguez said Artie's Lady loves to fight.

“He loves to be head-to-head with another horse. So when I saw the No. 2 (Midnight Lewis) coming, I said, 'This is mine.' Because he will fight for it,” she said. “… I can't describe it. It's so amazing, especially when you know the horse you're on and you have that connection with him. I just love being on horses.”

Rodriguez hopes to start riding regularly at Ellis Park (which races Friday-Sunday) in addition to Indiana (which runs Monday-Thursday).

“This is my first mount here, and I got a winner,” she said. “So I hope I get many more mounts here.”

What does she think of Ellis Park?

“I love it!” she said. “I got a winner the first time, so I love it so far.”

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Indiana Grand Offers Special All-Stakes Pick 4 For Indiana Derby Card

The Indiana Derby, the state's richest horse race, just got a boost for the 27th running of the event Wednesday, July 7. A special All-Stakes Pick 4 will be featured on the final four races of the card at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville, Ind, ending with the Derby in Race 12 sporting a $100,000 guaranteed pool.

“The Indiana Derby is our biggest program of the season and we wanted to do something to enhance the event,” said Eric Halstrom, Vice President and General Manager of Racing at Indiana Grand. “Our Pick 4 has really taken off this season with the reduced takeout of 15 percent, so by adding a guaranteed pool to the wager, it will give bettors added incentive for those final four stakes races on our card.”

In addition to the All-Stakes Pick 4, two other Pick 4 wagers will be offered in Race 1 and again in Race 5. The popular Pick 5, with an industry low takeout of 11.99 percent, begins with Race 8 and goes through the end of the card.

Another wagering scenario may play out for Indiana Derby Night. The track is currently facilitating a carryover of $143,471.91 in the Straight Fire 6 (Jackpot Pick 6). If the wager does not get hit during the Tuesday, July 6 card, then Indiana Grand will offer a mandatory payout on the wager during the Indiana Derby program. The Pick 6 is set to begin in Race 7, which is also the start of six stakes for the night.

Indiana Derby Day will feature numerous activities to complement the racing program, including five $1,000 Megabet Win Wagers on the Indiana Derby, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance. The twilight card will also feature a $500 Indiana Derby Hat Contest, Cigar Rolling Station, $1,000 Derby Warriors Handicapping Contest, Strolling Entertainment, and a community food booth featuring sno cones and cotton candy with all proceeds going to the Shelbyville High School Girls Basketball program. Free parking and free general admission will be provided for all racing fans with ample seating available on a first come, first serve basis.

The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is currently in progress through Monday, November 8. Racing is conducted Monday through Thursday with a first post of 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Thursday racing begins at 3:25 p.m. Six select Saturdays are offered for all-Quarter Horse racing beginning at 10 a.m. Indiana Champions Day, featuring the top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses in the state, is set for Saturday, Oct. 30 with a start time of 12 p.m. For more information on events and racing, go to www.indianagrand.com.

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Fulsome Headlines Indiana Derby As O Besos Connections Skip Race

Indiana's richest horse race will headline a day with purses in excess of $1 million Wednesday, July 7. The featured 27th running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby will be the final event on the 12-race program that begins at 2:25 p.m.

Heading the list of seven entrants for the Indiana Derby is Fulsome from the Brad Cox Stable. The three-year-old Into Mischief colt owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms of Kentucky comes into Indiana on a three-race win streak. He scored an allowance win at Keeneland in early April followed by a win in Arkansas in the $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes. His latest trip to the winner's circle was in the Grade 3 $150,000 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs in late May. Fulsome has drawn post one and will be guided by Florent Geroux, who won the 2020 Indiana Derby aboard Shared Sense for Trainer Cox.

Joining Fulsome as a likely favorite is Mr. Wireless from the Bret Calhoun Stable. The Dialed In gelding finished second in his last start, the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star and is two for four this season. Mr. Wireless has drawn post seven and will be ridden by Ramon Vazquez. Trainer Calhoun was the winner of the 2019 Indiana Derby with Mr Money.

Missing from the entries is O Besos from the Greg Foley barn. O Besos had been pointing to the Indiana Derby at Churchill Downs, but a last-minute decision was made to skip the race.

“We're just passing the race,” Foley said through correspondence with Jennie Rees, Eclipse Award winning turf writer. “We checked him out, didn't really find anything. (But) I wasn't going to run him if he wasn't 100 percent. No sense entering him when I'm not going to run him. I don't think it's anything bad. Maybe the work the other day jammed something up a little. He wasn't lame or off or anything. The exercise rider didn't like the way he went, and I didn't either. You don't want to put him in a race like that when I didn't like the way he went a few days before it.”

The entire field for the Indiana Derby, in post position order with jockey, includes Fulsome (Florent Geroux), WW Crazy (Victor Santiago); Starrininmydreams (Luis Saez); Convention (Francisco Arrieta); Sermononthemount (James Graham); Full Charge (Adam Beschizza); and Mr. Wireless (Ramon Vazquez). Estimated post time for the Indiana Derby is 8:25 p.m.

Also featured on the 12-race card is the 26th running of the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks, slated as the 11th race on the card. A total of 11 sophomore fillies have been entered into the race with the early nod going to the inside filly Will's Secret. Ridden by Jon Court, the Will Take Charge three-year-old finished third in her last start in the Grade 1 $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs. She is owned by breeder Willis Horton Racing and trained by Dallas Stewart and will start from post one.

Sitting directly to the right of her in the starting gate will be California invader Soothsay from the Richard Mandella barn. The Distorted Humor filly is two for three this year after going unraced at two. Her last start was a second-place finish in the Grade 2 $200,000 Sumer Oaks Stakes at Santa Anita. Flavien Prat guides Soothsay from post two.

The entire field for the Indiana Oaks, in post position order with jockey, includes Will's Secret (Jon Court); Soothsay (Flavien Pratt); Oliviaofthedesert (Brian Hernandez Jr.); Malloy (Adam Beschizza); Lovely Ride (Gabriel Saez); Sweet Pearl (Luis Saez); Li'l Tootsie (James Graham); Marion Francis (Florent Geroux); Lady Aces (Umberto Rispoli); Moon Swag (DeShawn Parker); and Forever Boss (Robby Albarado). Estimated post time for the Oaks is 7:43 p.m.

Indiana Derby Day will feature numerous activities to complement the racing program, including five $1,000 Megabet Win Wagers on the Indiana Derby, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance. The twilight card will also feature a $500 Indiana Derby Hat Contest, Cigar Rolling Station, $1,000 Derby Warriors Handicapping Contest, Strolling Entertainment, and a community food booth featuring sno cones and cotton candy with all proceeds going to the Shelbyville High School Girls Basketball program. Free parking and free general admission will be offered for all racing fans with ample seating available on a first come, first serve basis.

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‘Versatile’ Fulsome Records Final Workout Before Indiana Derby

Juddmonte Farms' Fulsome turned in his final workout for the $300,000, Grade 3 Indiana Derby on July 7, cruising five-eighths of a mile in 1:00.80 under jockey Florent Geroux shortly after the Churchill Downs track opened at 5:30 Wednesday morning.

“He did great. It was just maintenance,” Geroux said afterward. “He went 48 and 1:01, so he's doing good. We'll see how the race shapes up.”

The Brad Cox-trained Fulsome started his career with four turf races, winning a maiden race and finishing fourth in a stakes in New Orleans, before impressively capturing his dirt debut when a Keeneland allowance race came off the turf. He is now 3-for-3 on dirt, following up with Arkansas' $300,000 Oaklawn Stakes on Kentucky Derby Day and Churchill Downs' Grade 3 Matt Winn.

“He transferred over to the dirt well in April at Keeneland,” said Cox, perennially among Indiana Grand's leading trainers. “I'm glad it came off the turf; it was in the mud. He gave us the confidence to press forward on the dirt, so it's been very rewarding this spring.”

Cox said they were looking both at the grass and the two-turn mile distances available in turf maiden races when Fulsome began his career.

“A little bit of both. He just never shined a whole lot early on when he was chasing Mandaloun around there last fall,” he said with a laugh in reference to Juddmonte's Kentucky Derby runner-up. “It took him a little while to come to hand. He's not a real big horse, and I thought the grass might be a little kinder on him, that he could handle it a little better. He ran well on the grass, but he definitely has stepped up on the dirt.”

In the Matt Winn, Fulsome beat O Besos, one of his Indiana Derby rivals. O Besos, who finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, is ridden by Indiana Grand's meet-leader Marcelino Pedroza.

“He ran a good race at Churchill,” Geroux said. “He was going to go by him (O Besos) pretty easily at the end. I was kind of tracking him all the way. He had a very nice turn of foot that day. Hopefully he can repeat and do the same thing at Indiana.”

Geroux rode Fulsome in his first three starts on grass.

“I think he's probably a touch better on the dirt,” he said. “He was not very quick. So Brad and Juddmonte didn't feel there was a great need to sprint him on the dirt, having him all the way back and eating dirt. So that's why he ran a few times on the turf, around two turns. And when he was ready to take on the dirt, they switched him over and he's been pretty good since then. His numbers show he's better on dirt, but I think he's very versatile. He can be close up to the pace and also be farther back — and he's good on both surfaces.”

Geroux and Cox, the 2020 Eclipse Award-winning trainer, teamed to sweep last year's Indiana Derby with Shared Sense and Indiana Oaks with Shedaresthedevil, who in her next start won the Kentucky Oaks. Now they'll try to repeat with Fulsome and Oaks contender Marion Francis, winner of a Churchill Downs allowance race in her last start.

“It was great last year,” Geroux said. “We brought some nice horses over there. It's easier when you're the favorite, or one of the favorites, to win these types of races. But it looks like he should be the favorite for the Indiana Derby. I don't know who's coming, but my guess is that he would be the favorite.”

The Grade 3 Indiana Derby will be joined by five other stakes on the card, bringing stakes purses for the day to $840,000. The Indiana Derby will be slated as the 12th race on the card with an estimated post time of 8:25 p.m. The Grade 3 Indiana Oaks will be carded as Race 11 with an estimated post time of 7:43 p.m.

The 19th season of Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing is now in progress and continues through Monday, Nov. 8. Live racing is conducted at 2:25 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, with first post on Thursday set at 3:25 p.m. A special Indiana Champions Day highlighting the state's top Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses will be held Saturday, Oct. 30, beginning at noon. More information about the 2021 racing season is available at www.caesars.com/indiana-grand.

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