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Retired Jockey Ray Sibille To Enter Louisiana Sports Hall Of Fame

With the first of his 4,264 winners coming on June 29, 1969 at Evangeline Downs in his native Louisiana, the highlight of jockey Ray Sibille's 35-year career came on Nov. 5, 1988, when he guided a 5-year-old gelding named Great Communicator to a gutty half length victory over a course softened by rain in the Grade 1, $2 million Breeders' Cup Turf at Churchill Downs. While that was undoubtedly the highlight of his career, Sibille experienced a once-in-a-lifetime thrill off the track when it was announced Wednesday that he would be inducted into the prestigious Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame as part of its class of 2024 in June.

“You know, to these guys down here, going into the Louisiana Hall of Fame is better than the Saratoga Hall of Fame,” quipped Sibille, who rode full-time in Southern California from 1981 prior to shifting his tack to Northern California in 1992. “I stayed out of trouble, for the most part and now, looking back on my career, it's a really good feeling knowing that you accomplished a lot and treated people right.

“When I first started out, every young jockey was under contract and you learned the fundamentals of horsemanship. A trainer named Buster Leger had my contract and boy, you had to work. No goin straight home after you galloped some horses. You had to groom 'em, do the bandages, take care of their feet, do everything. And then, if we were running at night, you ponied horses to the gate.

“I'd never been outside Louisiana until 1973. I was 20 years old and I had an agent named Jimmy Daigrepont. We went to Chicago and right away at Arlington, I was third-leading rider and I thought, 'Man, this is pretty good.' We were together there about nine years and he did a great job. I was leading rider a few times at all three tracks, Arlington, Sportsman's and at Hawthorne.”

In 1981, Sibille followed his lifetime friend, Eddie Delahoussaye, to Southern California in the fall of 1981 with legendary trainer “King” Richard Hazelton.

“Eddie and me were together from the time I was 14. He started riding full time out there in 1978 and I came out with Richard just to ride the Orange County Fair Meet at Los Alamitos,” Sibille recalled. “Well, Richard went back home at the end of the meet and I stayed.”

Indeed he did, becoming a fixture in a Santa Anita/Hollywood Park and Del Mar Jockeys' Room that at the time, included the likes of Bill Shoemaker, Laffit Pincay, Jr., Eddie Delahoussaye, Chris McCarron, Sandy Hawley, Fernando Toro, Patrick Valenzuela and others.

Regarding his biggest moment on the track, Great Communicator's win in the 1988 Breeders' Cup Turf, run at a mile and one half over a grass course listed as “good,” Sibille fondly recalls the entire day, including a college football result.

“I didn't really realize the magnitude of that race until I got the (Breeders' Cup) ring, that's when it really sunk in,” said Sibille, who currently works as an association clocker at Evangeline Downs, which is 12 miles from his place of birth and current home in Sunset, LA. “The other thing about that day is, I was in the jocks' room all day and I was watching LSU and Alabama.

“I went out and rode the race (which went off at 5 p.m. ET) and did all the interviews after the race, with about 20 reporters. Then I got back in jocks' room just in time to see LSU kick the game-winning field goal. We hadn't beat Alabama in about 20 years, so that was the icing on the cake.

“And then the most amazing thing about that day was when I walked out of the interview room right behind the paddock at Churchill Downs. When I walked out into the paddock, I said 'It's dark!' And they still had five minutes to the Classic with Alysheba. 'How they gonna run this race, it's dark?' Well, they did, and Alysheba won it.”

Trained by fellow Cajun Thad Ackel, Great Communicator was a Kentucky-bred by Key to the Kingdom. With Sibille up, he had a sensational year throughout 1988, winning not only the Breeders' Cup Turf, but prior to that the San Luis Obisbo, San Marcos and San Juan Capistrano Handicaps at Santa Anita and the Hollywood Turf Cup across town at Hollywood Park.

So, what in Ray Sibille's opinion does a jockey need, besides good horses, to have a long, successful career?

“Well, back when we first started, we raced six days a week and took Sundays off,” he said. “So, we'd stay out all night on Saturday and sleep all day Sunday. But I'll say this, the last 15 years I rode, I worked out a lot and I took care of myself really good…Didn't drink near as much. And I guess that's what kept me around for so long…I got a whole lot smarter and if you're going to have a long career, you gotta make those adjustments.”

A winner of the 2005 George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award, Ray Sibille, who was born Sept. 13, 1952, will be inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame in late June along with several other Louisiana legends including Drew Brees, who quarterbacked the New Orleans Saints to victory in the 2010 Super Bowl.

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Stewart Elliott Wins Oklahoma Derby, Four Other Stakes To Earn Jockey Of The Week Title

Jockey Stewart Elliott affirms the adage that age truly is only a number. The 58-year-old veteran jockey is still going strong with five stakes wins during the week at Remington Park, including the Grade 3 Oklahoma Derby, proving that he has no intention of slowing down.

A panel of racing experts voted Elliott Jockey of the Week for Sept. 18 through Sept. 24. The honor recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1,050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

On Friday, Elliott's first stakes win of the weekend came aboard Run Slewpy Run for trainer Jayde Gelner in the Bob Barry Memorial. Off as the favorite in the field of nine fillies and mares, Run Slewpy Run raced at the back, 10 lengths off the leader. At the top of the stretch, Run Slewpy Run closed the gap and was in front to win by 2 1/2 lengths in 1:32.34 for 7 1/2 furlongs.

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen provided Elliott with his second stakes win of the evening aboard Tap the Dot in the Red Earth Stakes at 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass for 3-year-olds and up. Off at odds of 5-1, Tap the Dot settled in mid-pack before taking command in the stretch to post a 1 1/2-length win in 1:31.32.

The win was Elliott's fifth trip to the winner's circle on the night for five different trainers.

Elliott's stakes haul continued on Sunday, Oklahoma Derby Day, with Sunlit Song for trainer Mindy Willis in the Remington Green for 3-year-olds and up. As the prohibitive favorite in the field of seven, Sunlit Song raced in fourth along the rail until Elliott guided him off the fence on the final turn and drove to the wire with Paluxy in hot pursuit. Sunlit Song turned back the challenge to post a one-half length win in 1:51.43 for 1 1/8 miles on the grass.

Trainer Michael Biehler gave a leg up to Elliott on Medalla Match in the Ricks Memorial at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for fillies and mares. Off as the favorite, Medalla Match made every pole a winning one taking the field of eight gate-to-wire in 1:45.09.

Riding again for his top trainer Steve Assmussen, Elliott had the call aboard longshot How Did He Do That in the feature race of Sunday's card, the G3 Oklahoma Derby. Off at odds of more than 40-1, How Did He Do That tracked the leader Ghost Hero through six furlongs before moving to the front turning for home. How Did He Do That held a narrow lead with a furlong to go as Tumbarumba and stablemate Red Route One gained ground. The trio hit the wire together with How Did He Do That prevailing by a short nose in 1:50.34 for 1 1/8 miles on the main track.

“He ran great, what can I say,” said Elliott. “Down the lane, I kept asking him and he kept digging in.”

It was the first Oklahoma Derby win for Elliott and his 11^th win for the week. He sits atop the Remington Park jockey standings by double digits.

Elliott out polled Florent Geroux who won the G1 Pennsylvania Derby, Paco Lopez who won 13 races for the week including the Parx Dirt Mile, Edwin Maldonado with a G1 win in the Cotillion, and Edgard Zayas with two stakes wins including the G2 Presque Isle Downs Masters.

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Jockey Edgard Zayas Taking It To Another Level At Gulfstream, Beyond

It is hardly a revelation that Edgard Zayas is a highly skilled jockey, but the 30-year-old journeyman has been taking it to another level at Gulfstream Park and beyond this fall.

Zayas has won at least one race in his first 10 days of riding during the Sunshine Meet that began Sept. 1, while enjoying seven multi-win programs. The popular South Florida-based rider, who has been winning races at a 33-percent strike rate at Gulfstream, has also taken a few days off to ride at Kentucky Downs and Presque Isle Downs with continued success.

“I'm feeling good. I'm getting on nice horses and getting good opportunities. So far, we've started off this meet really good and we've been going out of town and winning too,” said Zayas, who rode three winners on Sunday's program.

Saffie Joseph Jr., who has collected the last seven training titles at Gulfstream Park while making his presence felt in major stakes elsewhere in the U.S. and Canada on a frequent basis, has greatly contributed to Zayas's heightened success. In addition to riding first call for Joseph at Gulfstream, Zayas has gone on the road to guide the Joseph-trained Accomplished Girl for a victory in the $300,000 Presque Isle Masters (G2) last week, as well as scoring aboard Saratoga Flash for the leading trainer in the $500,000 National Thoroughbred League Handicap Sept. 3 at Kentucky Downs.

Zayas and up-and-coming trainer Jose D'Angelo have been teaming for victories at a nearly 40-percent strike rate, as well.

“I'm really blessed to have the opportunities I'm getting from Saffie and Jose D'Angelo and all the other trainers, especially Saffie,” Zayas said. “Hopefully, we can keep it rolling. It's been great.”

Zayas is hoping to continue to build momentum into the Gulfstream's Championship Meet that gets under way Dec. 1.

“Hopefully, we'll keep the horses and keep it rolling. That's really important going into the Championship Meet. I feel this meet is more important than the summer because it carries on into the Championship Meet,” said Zayas, who finished fifth during last year's prestigious winter meet. “Hopefully, we can pick up some horses and get off to a good start in the Championship Meet. From there, if people see you're winning they'll start riding you.”

Zayas ventured to South Florida directly in Fall 2012 directly from attending Puerto Rico's jockey school and went on to record more than 200 victories the following year, including a Grade 1 score aboard Starship Truffles in the Princess Rooney at Calder Race Course. He's won 200 races or more in a year four more times while securing several riding titles at both Gulfstream and Calder [Gulfstream Park West].

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Jeff Metz Shutters Stable In Favor Of Stall Superintendent Position At Santa Anita

Trainer Jeff Metz has closed his stable in order to take a position as the stall superintendent at Santa Anita Park, the Daily Racing Form reported.

A winner of 938 races over a career that began in 1991, Metz is a former leading trainer at Emerald Downs and has been among the leading trainers at the recently-announced-to-be-closing Turf Paradise.

Metz' daughter, Zoe Metz, will take over his eight-horse string at Santa Anita, while his trainees in Washington State were sold or turned out.

“It was my plan to stay close to California and this came open suddenly. It happened fast,” Metz told DRF. “It looks like a good opportunity, knowing all the players between management and horsemen on the backstretch.”

According to his website, Metz is a former champion hunter jumper rider and former amateur jockey. Following his worldwide career in the saddle, Metz worked as an assistant trainer to trainers such as Bruce Headley, Dan Hendricks, and Bob Hess, Jr., while simultaneously earning a Bachelor's degree in Kinesiology.