venezuelan jockeys | Horse Racing Free Tips

Belterra’s Leading Rider Santiago Gonzalez Eyes September Return From Injury

Belterra Park's leading rider, Santiago Gonzalez, currently recovering from a fractured left femur sustained during a training mishap at the Cincinnati, Ohio, track on July 23, is hoping to return to the saddle as early as mid-September, his agent, Bert Crawford, said on Monday.

“The doctor said he's healing exceptionally well,” said Crawford. “Santiago thinks he'll be back the last two or three weeks of the meet.”

He'll see the doctor again on Sept. 10 for an update, Crawford said.

Belterra runs through Oct. 8.

Gonzalez, a 37-year-old native of Venezuela, was breezing a 2-year-old on July 23 when the horse tried to jump the rail, Crawford said. He suspects Gonzalez sustained the injury when his leg struck a support post.

The horse was not injured, according to Crawford.

“The break wasn't severe,” Crawford said. “Doctors put a metal rod in the femur, but they never put a cast on the leg. He's now broken every bone in his body. But Santiago said all is well and he's looking forward to making a comeback.”

Despite missing the last two weeks, Gonzalez maintains a 15-win lead in the rider standings, with 69 wins from 263 mounts, a 26% success rate.

“He was on track to win 120 and break the record, which is 105 or 106 wins,” Crawford said.

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Gonzalez, nicknamed “El Ciclon” (the cyclone) in Venezuela, where he recorded over 2,200 wins, is riding his first year at Belterra since relocating to the area last December and riding the winter meet at Turfway Park. After arriving in South Florida from Venezuela in December 2013, Gonzalez tried Southern California for five years, hitting the $5.5 million mark in mount earnings in 2016. He left in October 2018, eventually returning to South Florida. He was unable to break through there and set his sights on the Turfway-Belterra circuit.

“He's got a house here and has settled in at Belterra and Turfway,” Crawford said. “He called me last September and asked if I would be his agent. Two weeks before the Turfway meet I said, 'Don't come,' because it was going to be really tough since nobody here knew him. He said, 'I want to try.'”

Gonzalez wound up third in the Turfway winter meet rider standings behind Gerardo Corrales and Rafael Bejarano. He dominated the Belterra meet from the start.

“He's such a smart rider and a hard, hard worker,” Crawford said. “He always has the horse in position to win.”

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Golden Memories: Jockey Gustavo Avila Recalls Canonero II’s 1971 Preakness

Although 50 years have passed, Gustavo Avila can readily recall his ride of a lifetime aboard Canonero II in the 1971 Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course, just two weeks after the Venezuelan visitors shocked the world by pulling off an unimaginable upset victory in the Kentucky Derby (G1) at Churchill Downs.

The retired 83-year-old jockey, who resides in Miami with his family, came to Pimlico “a bit uncomfortable” and preparing for a race that would test Canonero II's speed as well as his stamina.

“One thing was certain,” the Venezuelan Hall of Fame jockey said, “this was going to be a violent race because of how fast it would be.”

Avila and his Kentucky-bred Venezuelan invader, who rallied from 18th to win the Kentucky Derby by 3 ¾ lengths, proved to be well-prepared to withstand a thrilling speed duel that developed with Eastern Fleet, winning by 1 ½ lengths and proving that his thrilling upset victory at Churchill Downs was hardly the fluke many had written it off to be.

Claudia Spadaro of Gulfstream Park and HipicaTV sat down and spoke to Avila just a week ago.

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Pacific Gale’s Hurricane Bertie One Of Five Winners On Day For Alvarado

Holly Hill Stable's Pacific Gale rolled to her second straight graded-stakes victory at Gulfstream Park Saturday, scoring a dominating victory in the $100,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) and providing jockey Junior Alvarado with his fourth of five victories and first of two stakes successes on a 12-race card.

The 22^nd running of the Hurricane Bertie, a 6 ½-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, was supported on Saturday's 12-race card by the $75,000 Texas Glitter, a five-furlong turf dash for older horses, and the $75,000 Melody of Colors, a five-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares.

Alvarado, who came back to ride Warrior's Pride to victory in the Texas Glitter two races later on the card, has ridden 48 winners while riding full time during the Championship Meet for the first time in 12 years. The 36-year-old native of Venezuela had been highly successful while riding at Aqueduct during the winter months in past years.

“The support I've been receiving from the owners and trainers has been beyond what I was expecting,” said Alvarado, who rode his first winner in the U.S. at Gulfstream in 2007. “It's been a really amazing experience and I can't wait to come back again next winter.”

The John Kimmel-trained Pacific Gale ($3.80), who had gone winless in 17 straight starts before impressively capturing the Jan. 23 Inside Information at Gulfstream under John Velazquez, came right back to score a 3 ½-length triumph in the Hurricane Bertie under a ground-saving ride by Alvarado.

“I rode her a couple times at Saratoga and Belmont. We always thought she was great but for some reason we never got the best of her,” Alvarado said. “She's stepping up right now. She's at another level right now.”

The 6-year-old daughter of Flat Out advanced along the rail to race behind pacesetter Cory Gal and to the inside of stalkers Sonar and Sound Machine. Sound Machine made a three-wide sweep on the turn to get the jump on the favorite and take the lead at the top of the stretch. Alvarado was able to ease Pacific Gale off the trail entering the stretch and the Kentucky-bred mare kicked in to rush past Sound Machine and draw off to win comfortably.

“I just had to make sure I stayed off the heels of everybody and make sure to give her a clear run from there,” Alvarado said. “She was there for me all the way around.”

Pacific Gale ran 6 ½ furlongs in 1:15.93. Sound Machine held second, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Saguaro Row.

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Arrieta Making Big Impression In First Year At Oaklawn

Francisco Arrieta points his right index finger to the sky following each victory. The jockey said it's not about finishing No. 1, but acknowledging the heavens.

Arrieta had raised his right arm 19 times through Saturday, the 18th day of racing at Oaklawn in Hot Springs, Ark. In a room full of newcomers at the 2021 meet, Arrieta has clearly made the biggest impression, trailing only seven-time local riding champion Ricardo Santana Jr. in the standings. Santana ended Saturday with 21 victories. Arrieta's purse earnings of $886,253, from 82 mounts through Saturday, ranked third.

“Everybody told me it's really tough here,” Arrieta, 32, said during training hours Friday morning. “But I've got belief. When you believe and get the opportunity, if you get the opportunity … now I'm doing really good.”

Arrieta credited his strong start to Jay Fedor, the jockey's well-connected agent who represented Martin Garcia, Oaklawn's co-second-leading rider at the 2020 meet. Fedor said after splitting with Garcia, he began searching for a 2021 replacement and “cold-called” Arrieta, then riding at Fair Grounds, in December. Arrieta said he planned to ride the 2020-'21 Fair Grounds meet before Fedor convinced him to move his tack to Oaklawn.

“Looked up his record and watched a few of his races and called him,” Fedor said. “Good kid. Generally, for the last few years, I've had a name that I could walk in the door with – (Gary) Stevens, (Robby) Albarado, Stewart Elliott, Martin, (Corey) Nakatani, Michael Baze – so this was a challenge that excited me, taking somebody that I was pretty certain that not many would know. A few people knew him, but I got lucky.”

Through Saturday, Arrieta had ridden his 19 winners for 10 trainers. They were Cipriano Contreras (5 victories), Jason Barkley (4), Jerry Hollendorfer (3), Aidan Green (1), Jimmy DiVito (1), Joe Sharp (1), Mac Robertson (1), Phil D'Amato (1), Randy Matthews (1) and Steve Asmussen (1).

Prior to coming to Oaklawn, Arrieta had never ridden a horse for Hollendorfer or Asmussen, both members of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Arrieta did forge a relationship with Robertson at Canterbury Park, and they teamed for an upset victory with Beach Flower ($41.20) in Friday's allowance feature for older fillies and mares. Beach Flower represented their 12^th career victory together.

“He does the weight,” Robertson said. “He's won 600 races in three years. That says more than what anyone else says, right?”

Arrieta, a native of Venezuela, has ridden extensively the past few years in New Mexico, Arizona and Minnesota. He said moving to Arkansas wasn't an easy decision, owing to his family traveling with him. Retired Hall of Fame jockey Ramon Dominguez, who is also from Venezuela, is among the people Arrieta said he leaned on for advice.

“He said it was a great opportunity,” Arrieta said. “Ramon's a really smart guy. He always helps. I really like the outdoors here, the mountains. I'm really happy.”

Arrieta said he doesn't know where he'll ride after the Oaklawn meeting ends May 1, but he's weighing a couple of options. He was leading rider at Canterbury in 2019 and second-leading rider there last year. The suburban Minneapolis track normally draws a handful of prominent Oaklawn figures.

“I've got to call Ramon,” Arrieta said with a laugh.

According to Equibase, racing's official data gathering organization, Arrieta entered Sunday with 616 victories and $9,886,008 in purse earnings in his career. Arrieta ranked eighth nationally in victories (250) in 2019, also setting a career high in purse earnings ($4,033,210).

Arrieta recorded his first United States victory in 2015.

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