Tag: People

Jockey Gustavo Larrosa posted his 1,000th career win Saturday night when Charlene Jarvis' Master This scored in the fifth race at Charles Town.

Larrosa had the West Virginia-bred Dominus gelding ideally positioned in fourth early in the seven-furlong race for $5,000 claimers. The 6-year-old rounded the far turn off the rail before willingly dueling the front-runner past the eighth pole. He surged clear late to post a two-length triumph on the muddy (sealed) track, providing his rider the milestone triumph.

Master This covered the distance in 1:27.87 and returned $17.20.

Larrosa's 11,584 career mounts also account for 1,096 seconds and 1,237 thirds and more than $19.3 million in purse earnings.

A native of Uruguay, Larrosa has ridden at Charles Town since 2003 when he came to the United States. Prior to that he rode in his native country and in Argentina.

Larrosa has also bred and owned Thoroughbreds.

The post Jockey Larrosa Hits 1,000th Career Win Milestone At Charles Town appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

About 30 years from now, when a bunch of retired jockeys gather to talk about freak injuries, Pablo Morales will have a story to top all of them.

The 34-year-old Tampa resident was awaiting the start of Sunday's first race aboard 4-year-old Florida-bred filly Nicolino when all heck broke loose in the starting gate. In a matter of milliseconds, the horse to his outside flipped in the gate, and Morales felt a burning sensation shoot through his right hand.

While the outside horse, 4-year-old Florida-bred Azulene, was scratched as a precaution, Morales quickly realized he was going nowhere. His pinkie finger hung loose, with the bone protruding through his gloved hand.

“I wasn't sure what happened. But when I saw my hand and went into the ambulance, I knew it was really bad,” Morales said Wednesday from home, where he is recuperating from the incident.

Morales underwent surgery Sunday night, and doctors successfully reattached his pinkie, raising hopes he'll be good as new before long – long being a relative term, given he is already resigned to missing the remainder of the current Tampa Bay Downs meet.

Azulene was not hurt, according to her trainer, Luis Dominguez. Nicolino returned to the paddock, where Daniel Centeno substituted for Morales, riding her to a second-place finish.

About all Morales could do on the ride to the hospital was curse fate and pray his finger could be saved.

“It takes a toll mentally, especially because I was doing so well,” said Morales, who is second to Samy Camacho in the Oldsmar standings with 53 victories. “I can't do the things I enjoy, like playing the guitar or being on my phone, because I have a very big cast, and I can't help out by washing the dishes or cleaning. So I'm just circling around the house.

“I know I'm going to make a full recovery – I just don't know when. I'll do whatever I need to do to recover and come back strong,” said Morales, who is hopeful of pursuing his ninth riding title at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., sometime after that meet begins May 15.

Surgeons used a pin and a wire to reattach the finger, and Morales said the hardware will be removed in a few weeks and his condition will be reassessed. “As soon as I know more, I can start planning for a comeback.”

Originally, Morales thought he was injured after a fractious Azulene reared and struck his right hand – which he was using to brace himself in his stall in case of danger – with her hoof. But a video sent to him by a cousin suggests she may have first bitten his finger when she stuck her nose into his stall before rearing and landing on her haunches.

Upon reflection, Morales thinks his pinkie was chomped.

“When I looked at the video, it was like we both reached that point at the same time,” Morales said. “My horse took a fast step forward, and when I reached with my hand to hold on to the bar (between the stalls), she (Azulene) reached to the left with her head and we met in the middle. I was getting ready to grab some mane again (for the start), and when I saw my finger I thought, Oh my God, this is terrible.

“The timing was unbelievable. It's the freakiest accident I've ever been involved in.”

Morales, who rode career winner No. 2,500 here last month on Roger McQueen, says he is fortunate to have the support of his family and loved ones.

“My wife (Erin) stayed with me that night at the hospital, and my kids (Sophia, 12, and Camilo, 10) have been a huge source of support. My sister and my niece came up from Miami to help Erin. I'm blessed and thankful to have a family that is behind me in everything. I know it's been tough for my agent, Paula Bacon, who was the first to respond and cares for me very much.”

E-mails and texts from countless friends and fans flooded his inboxes over the next few days, a reminder of his impact outside the realm of competition.

“I haven't been able to get back to everybody, but it makes me feel very appreciated. I'm thankful to everyone who has reached out,” he said.

The post Pablo Morales Recovering After Losing Finger In ‘Freakiest Accident’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Longtime turf writer Jim Freer, who covered Florida horse racing for several decades, passed away March 17 of complications from Parkinson's Disease. He was 74.

Freer, who was passionate about the sport and business of racing, particularly Florida Thoroughbred racing, wrote for The BloodHorse, Miami Herald, South Florida Business Journal and, most recently, was founder of HorseRacingFLA.com.

Jim loved attending the races, meeting owners, trainers, jockeys and executives, and was always thinking of ways to publicize the sport.

Freer grew up in upstate New York. He received a bachelor's degree in history from Holy Cross and a master's degree in journalism from Georgetown. A celebration of Jim's life will be held soon at Gulfstream Park.

The post Turfwriter Jim Freer Dies At 74 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Attached to a bulletin board outside his Oaklawn barn office is a drawing of a wet bulb thermometer Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas uses to track his victories at the 2022-2023 meeting.

Lukas, 87, is going to need a bigger bulb.

Major Blue's victory in Thursday's eighth race, a $103,000 entry-level allowance sprint for 3-year-olds, marked the 15th at the meeting for Lukas. His victory tracker, already filled in with bright red ink, stops at 14.

“We're getting the ones that can run to run,” Lukas said Thursday morning. “That's what we're getting paid to do. They pay us to make them better.”

Lukas has already established a single-season Oaklawn personal best for purse earnings ($1,866,604 through Thursday) and recorded his highest victory total at a meeting since 2011, when he won 27 races to secure his second Oaklawn training title. Lukas was also Oaklawn's leading trainer in 1987 with 35 victories.

Lukas' resurgence – he won seven races at the 2021-2022 Oaklawn meeting – coincides with more numbers and landing several new clients with deep pockets. He's also reunited with the family of the late Willis Horton (Kevin Horton), who campaigns millionaire multiple Oaklawn stakes winner Last Samurai, and another prominent Arkansas owner, John Ed Anthony.

Last Samurai represented Lukas' 350th career Oaklawn victory in the $500,000 Essex Handicap (G3) for older horses March 18. Last Samurai is being pointed to the $1 million Oaklawn Handicap (G2) for older horses April 22. Caddo River, a homebred for Anthony, is scheduled to run in the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile (G3) for older horses April 1. Lukas' most heralded runner, 2022 Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath, is pointing to the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) for older fillies and mares April 15. She won the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) for older fillies and mares March 11 at Oaklawn in her 4-year-old debut.

“We're going to be tough all the way on out,” Lukas said. “Obviously, Secret Oath, Caddo River, Last Samurai are all very live horses. We could finish up with a number of stakes winners.”

Lukas said he has several candidates for the $1 million Arkansas Derby (G1) April 1, including Bourbon Bash and Major Blue, who could wheel back following his front-running 1 ½-length victory Thursday. Post positions for the $1.25 million Arkansas Derby (G1) and $600,000 Fantasy Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies will be drawn Sunday.

“It just depends on how the Arkansas Derby shakes out,” Lukas said. “I want to know how many are in it, who is coming, before I make any decision on that.”

Major Blue represented Lukas' 351st Oaklawn victory (No. 9 all time) and his 4,900th in North America, according to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization. Lukas' North American total is No. 9 all time, based on Equibase statistics.

Lukas is the special guest for Saturday's “Dawn at Oaklawn.” Oaklawn handicapper/paddock analyst Nancy Holthus will interview Lukas at 8 a.m. (Central) on the south grandstand apron. The free program includes barn tours at 7:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Lukas saddled his first Oaklawn winner in 1983.

The post ‘We’re Going To Be Tough All The Way’: Hall Of Famer D. Wayne Lukas Enjoying Oaklawn Resurgence appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post