Tag: People

Vincent Ho claimed a hugely popular first victory in the LONGINES International Jockeys' Championship thanks to a beautifully judged front-running success on Tomodachi Kokoroe in the fourth and final leg at Happy Valley on Wednesday.

Rachel King, Ryan Moore and Zac Purton had each claimed a maximum 12 points with wins in the opening three races of the challenge, though it was the ultra-consistent Lyle Hewitson who led going into the decider thanks to two seconds and a third.

Ho had earlier kept himself in the hunt for the HK$600,000 first prize when finishing third in each of the first two legs, though the reality that he had become Hong Kong's first home-grown jockey to win the IJC had yet to dawn after he dictated matters from the front on the David Hayes-trained Tomodachi Kokoroe, saving enough to repel the late charge of Purton on Kaholo Angel.

Ho claimed the title with 20 points – 12 for a win, six for second and four for third – from Purton (18) and King (16).

A four-time winner of the Tony Cruz Award as the leading homegrown jockey in Hong Kong, Ho missed the start of the season when suffering back and rib injuries after a fall in Japan at the end of July.

But he has made up for lost time, quickly rising to fifth in the table, and has a huge LONGINES Hong Kong International Races on Sunday (10 December) ahead, with Hong Kong Mile hat-trick seeker Golden Sixty, as well as Senor Toba in the Vase and Straight Arron in the Cup.

“I was not aware (I had won) and I didn't even know about the points, I just kept riding every race to have a winning chance,” said Ho.

“I felt the track today favoured the front-runners a little bit so that definitely helped and of course Mr Hayes' team did a great job and helped me win this.”

Ho is now firmly established among the world's elite. But, when reminded of his time serving as an attendant to the riders on IJC night when still an apprentice, the 33-year-old revealed the humble side to his nature that has endeared him to racing fans just as much as his excellence in the saddle.

Ho said: “Christophe (Soumillon), Frankie (Dettori) and Ryan (Moore) were always my idols, right up until today, and I keep learning from those good jockeys, those good horsemen. There's still plenty to improve to (get to) their levels.”

Reflecting on his historic achievement, Ho said: “Especially after a tough injury, coming back to win this, I'm really grateful for. Hopefully this will inspire more generations to come and the Hong Kong people especially.

“As the first homegrown of course I received plenty of support here and hopefully it will inspire more kids.”

Ho can now look forward to getting back aboard his “best friend” in Golden Sixty, while King will return to Australia well satisfied with her IJC debut.

She threw down the first marker of the evening, steering the David Hall-trained Oversubscribed to success on her very first ride in Hong Kong.

“He was probably the perfect start to riding here at Happy Valley,” said King, whose third-place effort in the fourth leg secured the runner-up spot in the IJC.

“He's looked after me and did everything for me.”

Speaking after her third placing was confirmed, King added: “I think it was a good first effort. The atmosphere at Happy Valley is unbelievable and I really enjoyed it.”

Twice a winner of the IJC, Moore added to his tremendous record at the Valley when showing no ill-effects from his own recent spill to drive home M Unicorn for Caspar Fownes in leg two.

And the plot thickened once more when Purton scored aboard Silver Sonic for Francis Lui in leg three.

But it is Vincent Ho who heads into the biggest meeting of the year with the first significant prize of the week in safe-keeping for the next 12 months.

The post Vincent Ho Claims First Hong Kong International Jockeys’ Championship For Home Team appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Enjoying one of the best seasons of his highly decorated career, jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. has made his way back to South Florida with the mission of ending the year as strongly as it began.

Ortiz, 31, returns to Gulfstream Park starting Thursday to begin his riding title defense at the 2023-2024 Championship Meet, the nation's premiere winter racing destination that began its 85-day run Dec. 1.

A total of 68 stakes worth $14.875 million in purses will be offered led by the $4.5 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational series Jan. 27 and the $1 million Florida Derby (G1) March 30. The Championship Meet concludes March 31.

Ortiz will be busy in his first weekend back. He is named in seven of 10 races Thursday and Friday and nine of 11 races Saturday including Ozara for trainer Christophe Clement in the $100,000 Wait a While and Noted for Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher in the $100,000 Pulpit.

In all, Ortiz is named on 25 horses over his first three days for 17 different trainers, among them Mike Maker, Eddie Plesa Jr., Carlos David, Riley Mott, Jose D'Angelo, Joe Orseno, Chad Brown and Jane Cibelli.

“It's great to be back. They support me a lot. I love the people. They treat me really, really good and that makes it special,” Ortiz said. “They make me feel like home. I have some trainers I ride for that are waiting for me there and that keeps me hungry. It's exciting.”

Ortiz arrives at Gulfstream after earning his fifth Bill Shoemaker Award as top jockey at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, raising his career total to 20 wins following victories in the $6 million Classic (G1) aboard White Abarrio, $2 million Sprint (G1) on Elite Power and $1 million Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) with Goodnight Olive. All three horses will be in the mix for Eclipse Awards as divisional champions.

For his part, Ortiz is likely headed to a fifth Eclipse Award as champion jockey following wins in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2022. According to Equibase statistics, he is approaching his career-high of 346 wins set in 2018 and has already broken his own single-season North American record for purse earnings with $37,791,462. Ortiz banked the previous mark of $37,640,792 in 2022.

Ortiz has won 337 races – that and his earnings easily tops in North America – with 65 stakes wins, 40 in graded company. For his career, he has 3,715 wins, 596 in stakes, 304 of them graded, and more than $303.5 million in purse earnings.

“You start good [at Gulfstream] and it's great because you start the year off on the right foot,” Ortiz said. “It's very competitive. You have the best jockeys in the wintertime going there. It's not easy. It's been working out good, to be honest.”

Represented by agent Steve Rushing, Ortiz returned to the top of the Championship Meet standings last winter with 128 wins, after having his three-year win streak snapped by Luis Saez in 2021-2022. Ortiz also had a meet-high $7.5 million in purse earnings, setting the stage for what has been a memorable 2023 campaign.

Ortiz won 14 stakes during the 2022-2023 meet, 10 of them graded, led by 2022 2-year-old champion Forte in the Fountain of Youth (G2) and Florida Derby and Atone in the $1 million Pegasus Turf (G1). Ortiz also won the Florida Derby in 2021, the $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1) in 2020 and 2022 and has won four of the five runnings of the Pegasus Turf, including three in a row.

Other graded triumphs came in the Harlan's Holiday (G2), Pan American (G2), W. L. McKnight (G3), La Prevoyante (G3), Kitten's Joy (G3), Sweetest Chant (G3) and Royal Delta (G3). On Feb. 3 he rode seven winners on a single card, tying Jerry Bailey, Tyler Gaffalione, Luis Saez and Paco Lopez for the track record while becoming the first ever to win seven in a row.

Since his first full winter of 2017-2018, Ortiz has won 699 races at Gulfstream, an average of 116.5 per season. He has led the standings four times, winning a track-record 140 races in 2020-2021, and has been first in purse earnings five consecutive years including 2021-2022, when he rode just 279 races and finished with 80 wins and $5.05 million.

Nationally, Ortiz has been in the top five in wins and purse earnings every year since 2014 and has won 300 or more races each season since 2015. Also first in purses from 2018-20 and 2022, he is on the way to having the most wins for a seventh straight year.

“Believe me, we work so hard and we try to not look back. We just try to do the best we can for the whole year. By this time of year you realize how you're doing, after all the big races and everything, and we are having a good year,” Ortiz said. “We are very grateful. We thank God for every opportunity they give us to live these moments. We feel blessed to be in this position. We love this game. We love riding and we have to thank the horses because they run for us. They make the sport special.”

The post ‘They Make Me Feel Like Home’: Irad Ortiz Happy To Be Back At Gulfstream Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Sam Houston Race will kick off its 2024 live racing season on Friday, Jan. 5 and is in final preparations for the 43-day Thoroughbred meet, which will continue through Sunday, April 7.

One of the five Texas Preview Stakes on Saturday, February 17 has been renamed to honor David E. Hooper, who passed away on May 29, 2023, following a courageous battle with cancer. The 88-year-old had an extensive career in the horse racing industry, which included serving as executive director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association from 1997-2012.

He held many regulatory positions, including executive secretary of the Illinois Racing Board, and served as a steward at the state and racetrack levels in eight states. In 2018, he was the recipient of the Pete Pedersen Award from the Racing Officials Accreditation Program, which recognizes professional excellence, integrity, and benevolent consideration in the performance of their duties. Often referred to respectfully as “Judge,” Hooper was regarded widely as being fair in his stewardship and interactions with fellow horsemen, while prioritizing the ethics of the game and safety of the jockeys. He retired in 2020; his final position was at Canterbury Park in Minnesota, where Hooper served as a steward.

He also served as coordinator and lecturer at the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program (RTIP), specializing in racing laws and enforcement, covering all aspects of regulatory oversight. Hooper was a mentor to many who came through the program. His knowledge of the industry was only surpassed by his outgoing personality and unsurpassed communication skills with racetrack administrators, breeders, trainers and jockeys in Texas and across the country.

Mary Ruyle, who assumed the position as TTA's executive director following Hooper's departure, is pleased that his legacy will be recognized on Texas Preview Day.

“Dave did an incredible job for our association and working with him was a pleasure,” said Ruyle. “He always looked forward to Texas Champions Day at Sam Houston Race Park and celebrating the growth and excellence of Texas racing.”

Hooper is survived by his wife of 25 years, Martha. Sam Houston Race Park officials are hopeful that Martha and his daughters, Jennifer Kash, Cindy Slachta and Suzy Hooper, will be on hand for the trophy presentation on February 17.

The post Sam Houston To Honor Late Racing Executive ‘Judge’ David Hooper appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockey Pat Valenzuela is considering a comeback, the 61-year-old told Thoroughbred Daily News this week. He hasn't ridden since Dec. 8, 2016, and recently underwent a knee replacement, but Valenzuela has been galloping and breezing horses at Del Mar and at Santa Anita.

The veteran rider said the knee replacement has solved the problems he has been having since tearing his ACL at the end of 2016, and that he can now ride pain-free.

Valenzuela, who has had a history of substance abuse problems and numerous suspensions during his career, is unsure where he will be able to make his comeback. If the California Horse Racing Board is unwilling to license him as a jockey, Valenzuela said he would considering riding in New Mexico or Louisiana.

“I'm getting a good response,” Valenzuela told TDN. “I'm just grateful to be able to get on any horses. Most everybody has been encouraging. I'm not hearing anything negative from anybody. I'm just trying to keep it simple and moving forward. As far as the physical fitness part of it, I think it'll will take me another month to 45 days to get ready. The weight is the most important thing. When you get older it's harder to lose weight. I weigh 128 now. I am working hard and eating light meals. Usually one meal a day. Just trying to stay away from fats and saturated fats.”

Valenzuela began riding in 1978 and has produced 4,346 victories from 28,398 starts, with earnings topping $165 million.

He won the 1980 Santa Anita Derby aboard Codex when he was 17-year-olds. He teamed up with the legendary hall of fame trainer Charlie Whittingham to win the 1989 runnings of the Kentucky Derby and Preakness aboard Sunday Silence. They were then second in the Belmont Stakes.

He has also won seven Breeders' Cup races from 1991 through 2012.

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

The post ‘Most Everybody Has Been Encouraging’: Pat Valenzuela Considering Comeback appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post