Year of the Jockey

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Santa Anita Stakes Wins
B. J. Ridder (OT)—Endow (1988)
California Cup Starter Sprint H. (OT)—Wind Water (2006)
Pine Tree Lane (OT)—Selvatica (2006)
Potrero Grande BC H. (GII)—Smokey Stover (2007)
San Simeon H. (GIII)—Bonfante (2007)
Santa Paula (GIII)—Bettarun Fast (2006)
Sen. Ken Maddy H. (GIII-OT)—Jeanne Jones (1988)
Sunshine Millions Sprint—Smokey Stover (2007)
Tell H. (OT)—No Marker (1987)
Wishing Well H.—Cambiocorsa (2006)

Other Major Stakes Wins
Adirondack (GII-Sar)—American Royale (1991)
Affectionately H. (Aqu)—Biding Time (1991); Pentatonic (2001)
Affirmed H. (GIII-Hol)—Iz A Saros (GII-1988)
All Along (GIII-Cnl)—Idle Rich (2000)
American Derby (GII-AP)—Gold and Steel (1995)
Amerigo Lady (Aqu)—Carousel Madness (1992)
Aqueduct H. (GIII-Aqu)—Star of Valor (1998); Mr. Sinatra (1999); Seattle Fritz (2004)
Arlington H. (GII-AP)—Evanescent (1993)
Arlington-Washington Futurity (GIII-AP)—Secret Hello (GI-1989)
Bangles and Beads (Fpx)—Selvatico (2006)
Bay Meadows BC Sprint (GIII-BM)—Smokey Stover (2007)
Bed o’ Roses BC H. (GIII-Aqu)—Raging Fever (2003)
Bertram Bongard (Aqu)—Over the Brink (1992); David (1998)
Beverly Hills H. (GII-Hol)—Fitzwilliam Place (GI-1988)
Busher (GIII-Aqu)—Best Friend Stro (1998)
Chicago Budweiser BC H. (GIII-AP)—Low Key Affair (1995)
Choice H. (Mth)—Star of Cozzene (1991); Senor Tomas (1992)
Count Fleet (Aqu)—Classic Time (1998)
Damon Runyon (Aqu)—Ewer All Wet (1998); Bluesbreaker (2000)
Debonair H. (Hol)—Claim (1988)
Distaff BC H. (GII-Aqu)—Dream Supreme (2001)
Fleur de Lis H. (GII-CD)—A Penny is a Penny (GIII-1990)
Gallant Fox H. (Aqu)—Michelle Can Pass (GIII-1992)
Garland of Roses (Aqu)—Raging Fever (2001)
General George H. (GII-Lrl)—Wrangler (2002)
Gravesend H. (GIII-Aqu)—Stalwart Member (1997); Cowboy Cup (1999)
Hawthorne Budweiser BC H. (Haw)—Coaxing Matt (1995)
Hawthorne Gold Cup H. (GII-Haw)—Evanescent (1993)
Hollywood BC Oaks (GII-Hol)—Tough Tiz’s Sis (2007)
Honeybee (GIII-OP)—Aztec Hill (1993)
Hopeful (GI-Sar)—Great Navigator (1992)
Icecapade (Mth)—Smokey Stover (2007)
Illinois Derby (GII-Haw)—Antrim Road (1993)
Interborough H. (GIII-Aqu)—Evil’s Pick (1998)
Jersey Derby (GIII-Mth)—Lendell Ray (2003)
Las Madrinas H. (Fpx)—Bai and Bai (2007)
Laurance Armour (AP)—Evanescent (1993)
Laurel Dash (GIII-Lrl)—Texas Glitter (2000)
Matriarch (GI-Hol)—Asteroid Field (1987)
Molly Pitcher H. (GII-Mth)—A Penny is a Penny (1990)
Monmouth Park BC Cup (GIII-Mth)—Train Robbery (1992)
Nashua (GIII-Aqu)—Ommandon (2000)
Natl. Museum of Racing Hall of Fame H. (GII-Sar)—Turnofthecentury (2000)
Oaklawn BC H. (GIII-OP)—A Penny Is a Penny (1990)
Philadelphia Park BC H. (GIII-Pha)—Say Florida Sandy (2001)
Pucker Up (GIII-AP)—Work the Crowd (1994)
Queen Charlotte H. (GIII-Mth)—Seewillo (1992)
Queen’s County H. (GIII-Aqu)—Classic Endeavor (2004)
Railbird (GIII-Hol)—Bettarun Fast (2006)
Reeve Schley Jr. (GIII-Mth)—Buffalo Berry (2000)
Ruthless (Bel)—Seeking the Sky (1999)
Salvator Mile H. (GIII-Mth)—Peanut Butter Onit (1992); Cherokee’s Boy (2005)
Sapling (GIII-Mth)—He’s Got Grit (2005)
Sea O Erin H. (GIII-AP)—First and Only (1994); Jambalaya Jazz (1996)
Schenectady (Aqu)—Bedside Manner (2001)
Sheridan (GIII-AP)—Storm Creek (1996)
Solana Beach H. (Dmr)—Bai and Bai (2007)
Sports Page H. (GIII-Bel)—Stalwart Member (1997)
Stars and Stripes H. (GIII-AP)—Marastani (1994)
Stephen Foster H. (GI-CD)—Recoup the Cash (GII-1995)
Stuyvesant H. (GIII-Aqu)—Mr. Sinatra (1998)
Stymie H. (Aqu)—Cracked Bell (GIII-1992)
Super Derby (GII-LaD)—Senor Tomas (GI-1992)
Swoon’s Son (AP)—Evanescent (1993)
True North BC H. (GII-Bel)—Say Florida Sandy (2001)
Turfway Park BC (GIII-TP)—Barbarika (1990)
Viejas Casino H. (Dmr)—Silky Smooth (2007)

Highlights

• First winner: Ragin Henry, Jan. 18, 1987 at Caliente in Mexico.
• First graded stakes win: Asteroid Field in 1987, Grade I Matriarch at Hollywood Park.
• First stakes win: No Marker in 1987, Tell Stakes at Santa Anita.
• Riding titles: Aqueduct (inner track): 1999, 2000, 2001; Aqueduct: 2000, spring; Arlington Park: 1994, 1995; Churchill Downs: 1987, 1990 spring; Hollywood Park: 1987 fall.
• 1,000th career victory: on Jan. 23, 1993 aboard Linear in the Dixieland Stakes
  at Oaklawn Park.
• 3,000th career victory: On March 7, 2007, at Santa Anita aboard Pressthepace.
• Came full circle when returned to Southern California to ride full time at 2005-06 Santa Anita meet. Placed ninth in the standings with 35 winners. “I’m not here just for the Santa Anita meet,” he said. “I’m here to stay. My wife is from here and she always wanted to come home but she said for me to do what’s right for business. I thought this was the right time to come back.”
• Took his business east for 12 years after growing up in West Covina, about 15 minutes from Santa Anita, a few years after becoming the first and only apprentice to lead a Hollywood Park race meeting with 31 wins at the track’s 1989 autumn Meet.
• His most productive year was 1998 when mounts earned $8.8 million including five graded stakes races.
• Won a pair of Grade I events in 1992 including the $750,000 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs aboard Senor Thomas to post his richest victory. Also won Saratoga’s Hopeful with Great Navigator among a total of eight graded stakes wins, a career high.
• In 2007, became regular rider of crack sprinter Smokey Stover, whose multiple stakes victories included Santa Anita’s Grade II Potrero Grande Breeders’ Cup Handicap and the Sunshine Millions Sprint.
• Most victories during a single year came in 1991 with 211 trips to the winner’s circle.
  

Personal

• First sat on a horse at age 13 and learned to ride from former jockey Rudy Campas at Campas’ ranch in Riverside.
• Left Southern California in 1989 to try his luck in Northern California. He returned in 1993 for the Oak Tree meeting.
• Enjoys water sports, including scuba, water skiing and jet skiing.