Tag: People

Jockey Tiago Pereira expected to be riding at Oaklawn Park this winter, same as a year ago. That was the plan anyway until his 6-year-old daughter, Valentina, offered her own thoughts on the matter.

“She was so mad,” said Pereira, a 46-year-old native of Brazil. “She was crying and told me, 'Dad, don't go to Oaklawn.' My daughter is the most important thing in my life. So I said 'OK, I won't go for you.' I'm glad she spoke up.”

Equally glad Pereira didn't leave for Hot Spring, Ark. are Santa Anita horsemen and bettors.

Despite having only limited opportunities at Santa Anita's Classic Meet so far, Pereira entered Sunday's action ranked fourth in the jockey's standings thanks to a robust 31 percent win rate (11-for-35). Last year at Oaklawn Park, which race exclusively on dirt, Pereira finished 19th in the jockey's race while winning at a 13 percent clip.

“It is much better, this meet has been good to me,” Pereira said. “Not too many opportunities, but good horses. Hopefully I can keep it going.”

Prior to his foray to Oaklawn Park last year, Pereira had spent the winters at Santa Anita following his arrival from Brazil in 2014.

In his native country, Pereira was a standout rider who parlayed his success there into a victory in the 2010 Dubai World Cup (G1), a $10-million race, aboard Brazilian-bred Gloria de Campeao for trainer Pascal Bary. In 2021, Pereira won his first and only U.S. Grade 1 aboard Tripoli for John Sadler in the Pacific Classic.

Agent Derek Lawson has represented Pereira since last summer. He noted Pereira's recent run of success has him “confident that he can compete here.

“We always knew he could. I mean, this is a guy that won a $10-million race and a $1-million Pacific Classic,” Lawson added. “Obviously you have to have some talent to be able to do that.”

Trainer Steve Knapp has been on a tear of his own at the Classic Meet. He has been among Pereira's biggest supporters. Of the jockey's 11 wins at the meet, six have been for Knapp.

“Every time I put him on a horse he gives me 100 percent effort and that's what I'm looking for,” Knapp said. “Somebody that will try for fourth, third, or second if you're not going to win. That does mean something to owners when they get a piece of it.”

As for Pereira, he's hoping the fast start will lead to more business as the Classic Meet progresses.

“I don't ride too many, but the stables I do ride for have given me good horses with good chances. I just try my best and the horses have been responding,” Pereira said. “Hopefully, if I keep going good, it will open more doors for me.”

Lawson sees him as being well on his way.

“He's never really been in this position where he's winning races in bunches. It's great to see,” Lawson said. “But the most important thing is he's just an uncomplicated guy that works hard. He trusts what you're doing.”

The post ‘He’s Just An Uncomplicated Guy That Works Hard’: Pereira Making The Most Of Opportunities At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Tony Cruz has edged higher into Hong Kong's pantheon of racing immortals by becoming only the third trainer to post 1,000 winners at Sha Tin, joining fellow legends John Moore and John Size in a select club after Circuit Stellar's success in the Class 2 Belcher Bay on Sunday.

Joining Moore (1,204) and Size (1,104) as the only trainers to reach the 1,000-win mark at Sha Tin, 66-year-old Cruz took his total number of Hong Kong victories to 1,442 – a tally bettered by only Moore (1,735) and Size (1,449).

Zac Purton, who partnered Circuit Stellar to the landmark triumph, described Cruz – a six-time Hong Kong champion jockey and dual Hong Kong champion trainer – as “the biggest personality and the biggest legend in Hong Kong.”

“He's had an amazing career – he's a legend of Hong Kong racing, really. He's home grown, came through the Hong Kong Jockey Club Apprentices' School, he was champion jockey in Hong Kong and rode all over the world, for the Queen and the Aga Khan, and won some big races,” Purton said.

“He then turned his hand to training and he's been equally impressive – he's won every big race here – and in every season, he's right up in the top echelon of the trainers. He's very consistent and he always turns his horses out well. I enjoy riding for him and the best way to sum him up is that he's the biggest personality and the biggest legend in Hong Kong.”

Virtually a permanent fixture in the top five of the Hong Kong trainers' championship, Cruz rode 946 wins as a jockey before taking out a trainer's license.

“It's good to achieve that milestone because Sha Tin is one of the safest race tracks in the world, it's the fairest track in the world – it's the best track in the world – because every horse gets a chance,” Cruz said. “It's a good milestone and I hope to get another thousand here in Sha Tin, too.”

The post ‘The Biggest Legend In Hong Kong’: Cruz Saddles 1,000th Sha Tin Winner appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

British jockey Richard Kingscote broke through with his first victory in the United States on his last day of his winter sojourn at Gulfstream Park.

The 36-year-old jockey, who rode Desert Crown to victory in last season's Epsom Derby (G1), guided Bill Mott-trained Arthur's Ride ($6.40) to an impressive and hard-fought triumph in the Race 10, an $84,000 maiden special weight race for 3-year-olds.

“I'm really pleased. It's my last day riding, so I'm grateful to the folks for putting me up and it's nice to get a winner before heading home,” Kingscote said. “Mr. Mott is a great trainer, knows what he's doing and fair play to him for putting me on a live chance.”

Kingscote and Arthur's Pride set the pace while under heavy pressure from favored Case and Dreamlike along the backstretch to the top of the stretch. Arthur's Tale held a clear lead in mid-stretch and held gamely to hold off a resurgent Dreamlike to win by 1 ½ lengths.

Kingscote, who picked up the mount aboard Arthur's Ride Saturday morning, had 16 previous mounts since arriving in mid-January.

“I've really enjoyed it. It's been good. Things are very different out here, but I've enjoyed it. The lifestyle is great, Kingscote said. “I didn't expect to be getting a winner, so I'm pleased we got one.”

Kingscote will linger in South Florida for a few more days before taking the long way back to England.

“The kids are coming up next week, we've got a few days, and then I'm home Thursday,” Kingscote said. “Saudi next week and back to work at home.”

The post ‘I’m Pleased We Got One’: Kingscote Rides First U.S. Winner At Gulfstream Park appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

It's been quite the start to Santa Anita's Classic Meet for longtime trainer Steve Knapp.

Entering Saturday's action, the 66-year-old conditioner has connected at a 26 percent clip with 11 wins from 42 starts to rank fourth in the trainer standings. Last year, through the entirety of the track's six-month Winter-Spring Meet, the Knapp barn won 18 races.

“It's been a great meet,” Knapp said Saturday morning. “I've got more horses and the quality has gone up. That gives me the opportunity to win more races.”

Knapp currently has 54 horses stabled at Santa Anita. Of those, none has caused more of a stir than Bus Buzz.

A California-bred by Stay Thirsty, Bus Buzz debuted last Saturday going six furlongs against state-breds and aired by eight lengths. He blazed the opening half mile in :43.97 and kept right on going when crossing the wire in 1:09.70. The effort earned a 93 Beyer Speed Figure, which according to Daily Racing Form is the 14th best recorded by a 3-year-old this year.

Knapp said Bus Buzz exited the sterling effort in good order and was ticketed for a state-bred allowance on dirt for his next start.

“From the very first work he showed us he could run,” Knapp said. “Just the way he moved you could see it. Then he just got better and better every work. But I didn't expect that kind of performance. I didn't know if I had him fit enough…but obviously he was.”

Bred by Terry Lovinger, Bus Buzz is out the Bring the Heat mare Lost Buzz, who was a graded stakes winner for Lovinger. He was sent through the 2021 Fasig-Tipton California fall yearling sale where he fetched $97,000 from Thomas Halasz, who campaigns the gelding in partnership with Lovinger and Amanda Navarro.

The post ‘It’s Been A Great Meet’: Veteran Trainer Knapp Hitting On All Cylinders At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post