Tag: People

French trainer and former champion jockey Freddy Head, the first person to win Breeders' Cup races as both a jockey and trainer, is to retire from racing at the end of the year.

Head was the rider of Miesque, a Racing Hall of Fame member in the U.S., two-time Breeders' Cup Mile (G1) winner (1987, 1988), and two-time U.S. champion turf female (1987, 1988). He also trained Goldikova, a Hall of Famer, two-time U.S. champion turf female (2009, 2010), and and three-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner (2008, 2009, 2010).

Head's decision to retire followed the celebration of his 75th birthday in June.

After riding the winners of many of Europe's top races, Head retired as a jockey in 1997 and started his career as a trainer. In 2008 with Goldikova's first Breeders' Cup triumph, he entered the record books as the first person to win Breeders' Cup races as both a jockey and trainer, a feat later equaled by Joseph O'Brien.

“Age catches up with us all and I've been working since I was 16,” Head to Racing Post. “It's time for me to enjoy other things. I always felt 75 would be the time to stop and I'm delighted. I never wanted to go on past the stage where I was embittered, that would have been horrible.

“You need some luck and I've been very lucky to train some very good horses. It has been very pleasing because when I was a jockey I always wanted to train.

“When I rode I was always a little critical of trainers and I wanted to see if I was right. I rode for a lot of good people so I wanted to see if I could take different things I had learnt from them and put them altogether for myself. That has been the best thing about being a trainer.”

Other notable wins Head scored as a jockey included the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe with Bon Mot (1966), San San (1972), Ivanjica (1976), and Three Troikas (1979). He was France's champion rider six times.

Head's first Group 1 winner as a trainer came with Marchand d'Or in the 2006 Prix Maurice de Gheest. His runner annexed the fixture three consecutive times overall, a feat equaled by Head-trained Moonlight Cloud (2011, 2012, 2013), bred and owned by U.S.-based George Strawbridge. Marchand d'Oro was Head's first champion.

Among Head's principal patrons were Alain and Gerard Wertheimer, who raced Goldikova as a homebred. The Niarchos family's Flaxman Holdings campaigned homebred Miesque.

Head's great-grandfather was a jockey-turned-trainer as was his grandfather William Head and his father, training legend Alec Head, who also owned Haras du Quesnay in France and died earlier this year at the age of 97. His sister was prominent trainer Christiane “Criquette” Head-Maarek, who is retired; another sister, Martine, has overseen Haras du Quesnay.

The Head family's racing legacy continues through Freddy Head's son, Christopher, and daughter, Victoria, both trainers.

The post French Racing Legend Freddy Head To Retire, Won Breeders’ Cup Races As Jockey, Trainer appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Veteran jockey Julien Leparoux has been on a roll to start the September meet at Churchill Downs where he recorded four wins from nine starts over the first three days of the 14-day stand.

The 39-year-old French-born rider recorded three wins Friday and added a victory in Saturday's Pocahontas (G3) aboard the Kenny McPeek-trained Fun and Feisty.

“My agent (Frank Lyons) and I have been working hard and we noticed business starting to pick up to end the Spring Meet and it continued at Saratoga this summer and into this meet at Churchill,” Leparoux said. “It's nice to be able to ride for barns like Kenny (McPeek) and nice fillies like Fun and Feisty.”

Leparoux took his talents to New York this summer where he nabbed eight victories from 55 starts at Saratoga. Prior to the Saratoga meeting, Leparoux scored a 26-1 upset victory in the $1 million Belmont Derby (G1) aboard Classic Causeway. Following his stint at Saratoga, he tallied four wins at the abbreviated seven-day Kentucky Downs meeting.

On Friday, Leparoux enjoyed a three-win day aboard a duo of Ian Wilkes-trained allowance winners Liberty M D and Meister along with the Ron Moquett-trained claimer Lake Tahoe.

Leparoux is scheduled to remain busy through next several days of racing at Churchill Downs with four mounts Sunday, three Wednesday and two Thursday.

Overall, Leparoux is the No. 5 ranked rider in Churchill Downs history with 1,011 victories, following Pat Day (2,482), Calvin Borel (1,232), Robby Albarado (1,192), and Corey Lanerie (1,178).

The post Leparoux Building Momentum In Second Half Of The Year appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Apprentice jockey Jaime Torres broke through with his first career victory on Saturday's program at Gulfstream Park, guiding Takestwotowiggle ($28.20) to a front-running victory in the Race 2 claiming race.

“I'm feeling blessed. Thanks to God and my family for their support,” Torres said. “I'm ready to do my job, work every day, working hard.”

The 23-year-old started exercising horses in his native Puerto Rico before moving to the U.S., where he galloped horses for leading trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County.

“I started in school to learn to be an exercise rider. I was there like six months and then I came here to work for Saffie as an exercise rider,” Torres said. “The team for Saffie Joseph has taught me a lot, everything I know.”

Agent Kevin Meyocks has Torres' book.

Takestwotowiggle was Torres' ninth mount since riding in his first race Aug. 12.

The post Apprentice Torres Guides In First Career Winner At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Jockey agent Tim Hanisch is back to work at Churchill Downs five days after being shot outside his Louisville condo.

Hanisch was on his way to Churchill Downs before dawn Sept. 12 when he noticed two men attempting to break into his roommate's car in the parking lot of his townhome in the city's Clifton neighborhood.

One of the men shot Hanisch, the bullet piercing his left side before exiting, just inches from his heart, Daily Racing Form reported at the time. Hanisch was treated and released after spending several hours at a hospital.

Hanisch, who represents Alex Achard and Mitchell Murrill, said he is doing well and happy to be back to work.

Hanisch has been a jockey agent for nearly a decade. He was the agent for Miguel Mena at the time the jockey was fatally struck by a vehicle between the Blankenbaker Parkway and Hurstbourne Lane exits on westbound Interstate-64 in Louisville last October.

The post Jockey Agent Hanisch Doing Well, Returns To Work After Being Shot In Louisville appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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