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David Cabrera’s Three Stakes Wins Lead To Jockey Of The Week Title

Remington Park's leading jockey, David Cabrera, won three stakes at his home track to be voted Jockey of the Week for Dec. 14 through Dec. 20. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Cabrera began his stakes triple during the Friday night card with trainer Kenny McPeek giving him a leg up on Jeweled Princess in the She's All In Stakes at one mile and 70 yards. Jeweled Princess advanced off the final turn to win by a head over fast closing Istan Council.

“She was not intimidated at all coming up the rail,” said Cabrera.

Cabrera then had the mount on Dipping In for trainer H. Ray Ashford, Jr. in the Useeit Stakes for Oklahoma-breds. The 3-year-old filly stopped the timer in 1:40.69 over a fast track to win the one mile contest on the dirt by a length, giving Cabrera his third of four wins on the card.

Trainer Kenny McPeek again gave Cabrera a leg up in the Trapeze Stakes at one mile on the favorite, Oliviaofthedesert. Riding the 2-year-old filly for the first time, Cabrera broke 10th in the field of 10. At the top of the lane, she pushed through an opening on the rail to just get up for the win.

Then on Saturday, Cabrera rode Oklahoma two-time Horse of the Year Welder in an open-company allowance contest, tying the all-time mark for most wins at Remington Park with 15.

“This horse,” said Cabrera, regular rider of Welder, “you have to let him do what he wants to do. If you try something different, he doesn't like it.”

Cabrera led all jockeys by number of stakes wins with weekly stats of 21-7-2-3 and $207,297 in purses.

The native of Mexico notched his 1,000th career win at Prairie Meadows in 2019. In addition to Remington Park, Cabrera rides regularly at Sam Houston Race Park, Lone Star Park, Prairie Meadows and Will Rogers.

Cabrera out-polled Eric Cancel who was leading jockey by purse earnings, Tyler Gaffalione who won the Grade III Mr. Prospector, Luis Saez, leading jockey by number of wins, and Ricardo Santana, Jr. who won two stakes races at Fair Grounds.

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‘My Freedom Only Really Came When I Asked For Help’: Da Silva Opens Up About Addiction In New Book

Former jockey Eurico Rosa da Silva has just released his new book entitled Riding For Freedom. The book follows his journey from a young boy with a big dream in a poor country to a seven-time recipient of Canada's outstanding jockey award, according to Canadian Thoroughbred. The crux of the book, however, lies in the inner demons that he battled along the way.

“When the opportunity came, I left,” da Silva said in an interview with Peter Gross on his podcast, Down The Stretch. “When I started riding in São Paulo, I was very lucky. I started winning a lot of races right away, making a lot of money. I started in Canada and I was successful. My freedom only really came when I asked for help.”

Da Silva retired from his career as a professional jockey a year ago to help athletes with their mental performance. The 45-year-old husband and father of two children now strives to help people with problems similar to his own. He opened up in his interview with Gross about his addictions and how he insisted that the book include them.

“I was a chronic sex addict and a chronic gambler, and I am not afraid to say that,” da Silva said to Gross. “My goal with my book is to motivate people to go for help.”

‘I Just Want To Stay In The Fight’: Carmouche Reflects On Remarkable 2020 Season

Just one live race day, the New Year's Eve card at Aqueduct Racetrack, remains in 2020 to complete a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit. The NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of New York-based racing personalities to get their reflections on the memorable campaign.

Kendrick Carmouche, a native of Vinton, La., began riding in his home state at the age of 16 before switching over to the Mid-Atlantic circuit. He found immediate success there, winning seven riding titles at Parx Racing and earning a spot in the Philadelphia racetrack's Hall of Fame. Since moving his tack to New York in the winter of 2015, Carmouche has piloted more than 30 stakes-winners and this year won his first Grade 1 aboard True Timber in the Cigar Mile. Additionally, he secured his first riding title in the Empire State when leading all other jockeys during the fall meet at the Big A.

Q: What was your favorite moment this year?

Carmouche: Winning on True Timber was not only the biggest moment of the year, but the biggest moment of my career. Winning a title in New York, also, caps off a year of hard work and the pandemic, all in one.

Q: Was there a particular ride that made you most proud?

Carmouche: Battle Station winning the Lucky Coin. That was a good way to end the meet at Saratoga. He's a horse who I really like. He put me in a perfect spot that day. He's a horse that I previously rode, and we just picked up where we left off. I rode him as a 2-year-old and I won the first couple of times on him. I didn't get back on him until he was five, so it's really been a lot of fun.

Q: Who was your favorite horse to ride this year at NYRA?

Carmouche: Tribecca. I've got to give him props. The past few years, he's one of those horses that every time you get on him, you know you have a shot to win. He's just an amazing and cool horse. He rides me, and I ride him. That's the way it works. We're both on the same page, we know each other well and know what the other one wants.

Q: The new track at Saratoga got a lot of buzz over the summer from jockeys and horsemen alike, how did you feel about the new surface?

Carmouche: I think the track was wonderful and the crew did a good job. When they come into the jock's room and ask us about it, we try and give them our honest opinion of what we feel on a racehorse and they try to make sure that the horses and jockeys are both safe.

Q: Talk about the relationship with have with your agent Kevin Bubser and how he's helped you along in your career.

Carmouche: I first met him at Delaware Park. He was a casino dealer and we became best friends. He said he didn't want to be a dealer anymore, so I brought him over to the racehorse world, which he was already introduced to when he was a young kid, and he just fell right into place. Me and my former agent taught him a couple things and left him in Philadelphia. I'm very pleased with the job he's done with my book. He's a very good guy and a very nice guy. I'm happy that we both got our first G1 and first riding title together. You can't ask for anything more.

Q: What is it that keeps you going?

Carmouche: The competition. I love the competition. You know that every time you come here that you have to ride your absolute best to beat these guys and they have to do the same and ride their best to beat me. When I came up here years ago, I was searching for the opportunity to build my riding career and get better and better. That's the whole point of stepping up to the next level. Everyone was suffering during the pandemic. My whole thing was, I wanted to get back to work and do what I always do, win races, try to find a way to win. I love getting better at winning races. I just want to stay in the fight. They got me in the fight right now, and I want to stay in the fight.

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‘Happy To Get Out Of The Bubble’: Soumillon Emerges From COVID-19 Quarantine To Ride In Hong Kong

Sidelined from two of the most prestigious meetings in the world because of COVID-19, Belgian ace Christophe Soumillon is anxious to make up for lost opportunities – and time – when he resumes with a full book of rides at Sha Tin on Sunday, Dec. 20.

Diagnosed with COVID-19 shortly before the Breeders' Cup meeting at Keeneland on Nov. 7, the 10-time French champion surrendered a winning ride on Tarnawa in the US$4 million Breeders' Cup Turf.

Salting the wound, Soumillon also watched Order Of Australia – another confirmed mount – post an upset victory in the US$2 million Breeders' Cup Mile.

Unable to gain clearance to leave quarantine as scheduled in Hong Kong because of health protocols, Soumillon then forfeited the ride on Normcore, who claimed the HK$28 million LONGINES Hong Kong Cup under Zac Purton.

Compounding the situation, Soumillon also lost the winning ride on Lucky Patch at Sha Tin at the same meeting.

But, exhibiting an attitude which has impressed his peers and Hong Kong Jockey Club officials, Soumillon is squarely fixed on future positives rather than pondering negatives from the past.

“I knew they (Normcore and Lucky Patch) were gonna run well, probably win. I was ready to see, even a bit, Admire Mars fighting with Golden Sixty. That didn't happen,” he said after the Happy Valley trials this morning (Dec. 18).

“But, anyway, I came here to try my best. I knew had some good rides. Last Wednesday, at Happy Valley, I lost five winners, so the same.

“I'm coming here to compete and do my best. Unfortunately, the rules are the rules.

“I get positively tested in the US.

“I already lost this year the Breeders' Cup, I could win the French Derby, I could win the Arc. I could win many big races and I couldn't be on the horse at the right time some times because we didn't take the greatest decision and sometimes because you get the COVID-19.

“But some people are very sick and couldn't get back well after getting the disease, so it doesn't matter.

“I work enough to know that if I keep going like this, I will find other big winners in the future.

“I lost something, but I learnt different things so it's gonna make me stronger at the end of the day.

“Hopefully I'm gonna get some good rides on some very good horses, that's the target at the end.

“I just want to go back riding races, going to the winners' circle and doing what I do best.”

Such is Soumillon's appeal among owners and trainers, he is fully booked through Jan. 1, 2021, starting with a complement of 10 rides on Sunday.

“Really happy to get out of the bubble, finally I can do what I really love every day – riding horses and competing with other jockeys,” he said.

“Very excited to be racing on Sunday and my feelings are very good. I'm fit and well and ready to go.”

Proving every cloud has a silver lining, Soumillon has used the time in isolation pro-actively, building fitness and spending hours poring over replays and form.

“Because I was locked up for more than two weeks now, maybe three (weeks), I've had the time to look at the races properly and analyze every horse's trackwork and the way they are improving a lot,” he said.

“It was quite good in that way.

“My first two race days are fully booked and it's the same now until the first of January, so I feel a lot of good support from the owners and trainers.

“I just hope now I can do my job again, like I did before.”

Soumillon is hopeful Ballistic King is among his best chances to add to his tally of 110 Hong Kong winners in the Class 2 Bellflower Handicap (1400m).

“We didn't have the best draw (barrier 9), but the horse looks in form,” he said.

“He got beat not far away the last few races, just hoping he can jump out of the gates quite well.

“He looks a bit of a one-paced horse but he looks in form. I think he's going to run good.”

Synonymous with Hong Kong top-liners Viva Pataca, Bullish Luck, Good Ba Ba and Perfect Partner, Soumillon will belatedly start a two-month contract, grateful to be heading back into the fray.

“The opportunity is great, but unfortunately I got the disease,” he said.

“Now I'm fine, I'm 100 percent right I just hope things will go back as they to normal.”

Soumillon partners Bella Baby, Smart Thinker, Glenealy Generals, King Dragon, Resolute, Speed Fay Fay, Super Power Man, Winning For All, Perfect To Great and Ballistic King.

Sunday's 10-race fixture kicks off at 1pm with the Class 5 Sunflower Handicap (1000m).

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