My first two winners, both on the same day at Latonia
Blind Switch
This is my story as it unfolded in my quest to become a Jockey starting from the time it came to mind and as it materialized from thought to reality.
My first thoughts of becoming a Jockey started in my senior year at High School when two fellow classmates quit school to become Jockeys, I had never really considered it but the thought really took hold a couple years after I graduated. My quest started when I wrote to the Sports Editor at the local newspaper, I was informed there were many horse farms in the Ocala Florida area where I could inquire about how to start.
This was somewhat frightening as I didn’t see myself living on a farm away from my family without knowing anyone, so the thought languished until my roommate at the time who was a carpet installer and was doing an installation for a well know Horse Trainer from South America named Huratio Luro, unknown to me but a well-respected trainer that came to Florida in the winter to escape the bitter cold in New York where he was based. He mentioned that his roommate namely me was interested in becoming a Jockey. The trainer gave him his address and phone number and told him to have me call him, for reasons I can’t recall now I never pursued it much to my regret in later years as it turned out he was a Hall of Fame Trainer with a powerful stable that potentially would have exposed me to the top professionals of racing at that time.
Shortly after this, I was working a job with two friends and a co-worker was friendly with a couple from high school. We talked quite a bit at work and I spoke of becoming a Jockey. Her friend’s husband was a local Horse Trainer so I asked if I could meet him, soon it was arranged I would go to his barn at the Local Racetrack and have a meeting. The first meeting went well as I was offered a job as a hotwalker and told I could become a Jockey if I worked well and showed ability.
I was freaked as this was like a dream come true and I was making it happen, so I quit my regular job and went to work at the stable during the mid-winter racing season in South Florida which was the place to be while it was freezing up north. I was introduced to a world totally new to me, preparation for racing the horses, work at the barn, my own plans and preparations kept me completely consumed with the track during my waking hours. I soon applied to get my apprentice license so I could start riding and was told to report to the Track Starter to observe the horses in the starting gate and how the riders handled them. This was all a learning experience to be coached by these horsemen that had years of experience in their jobs and a blessing for me to have access to them.
During this time I worked at the stable helping take the horses to race and if necessary ride along in the Horse Van when traveling to the local tracks. Hialeah Park is a beautiful Racetrack in South Florida that we ran horses at during the season. I was there often and saw many of the great Stables from New York, Chicago, Canadian all were there I was totally into it now.
My situation was advancing quickly as I had previous riding experience riding as a child in local stables so I was not unfamiliar with horses, this enabled me to start to exercise the horses much sooner than most riders that were trying to become Jockeys. It was commonplace for Apprentices as we were referred to would work for years before given an opportunity to handle these horses as riders.
I recall the first riding difficulty I had when first starting to exercise horses at the racetrack. It was when I was working for my original contract holder who I had to sign a three-year employment contract with to get my license to first become an exercise rider then a Jockey.
I was sent out to the racetrack on a pony horse with a racehorse that I had tethered with a lead shank wearing a construction helmet looking like a damn fool but there I go! Well, I get out to the track and start galloping along with the horse in hand and all is going well until I reach the six and a half furlong pole when a horse come by on my inside breezing which is a workout term used when having the horse run at race-like speeds. This startled the horse I was leading and he started to pull hard on the lead causing me to come close to being pulled off my pony horse, the helmet I was wearing was falling over my face and things were becoming dangerous quickly.
Luckily for me the Outrider a woman named June who was an excellent horsewoman helped me gain control of the situation by steadying my mount as I held to the other horse until coming to a stop. She exclaimed that I was not prepared to be doing this type of training and was correct in her observation. I was told by her to inform my boss that I was not to be sent to the track like this again or be reported to the Stewards.
This was the beginning of my starting to exercise racehorses, I would come to the racetrack every day before dawn to hotwalk the horses after they were exercised, then go to a local small turnout farm nearby and gallop layups in a bullring barbwired pasture. I remember the horse’s name as Colombos Ghost, a horse that had been injured racing and was now starting to make his comeback after healing.
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Within eight months I had my first race on an old grey horse that had a reputation as a quitter. Dawn Patrol was his name, they called him a grey but he was almost completely white, a strong old horse that had seen better days but still could get around the track and maybe earn a check for the owners. I was given an old saddle by one of the older Jocks in the room and I was going for it!
The time came for the race and I was quite nervous and went to the Paddock to get my mount, all the Jockeys weighed out at the Scales and we then went outside where the Horses were being saddled. We all went to our mounts, the groom and hotwalker, as well as the Trainer, were all there as well as a Pony Rider to take me to the starting Gate during the post parade and when riders up was called we all went to our horses and were helped onto them with a leg up from the trainers.
I was led out to the track by the groom and released to the Pony Rider, we then lightly warmed up the horse to ready him for the start. I was led into the gate for my first race and was so nervous I didn’t think to pull my eye goggles down to protect my eyes. The gate doors sprung open and the horse surged under me with me holding his mane and leaving the reins loose so not to restrain him. We were running down the backstretch in a pack and I was just trying to not collide with anyone, the horse was racing up near the front of the pack as we approached the turn so I started to make him run and he responded by going to the lead as we turned into the stretch!
Thinking I could win I was riding like no tomorrow, pushing on his neck as he lunged forward, but soon the other horses ran by us as we came to the finish line. It was over in less than two minutes but was very exciting. The trainer greeted me with a big smile telling me he thought we were going to surprise everyone and win at 99-1 odds, but no he couldn’t do it that day. This continued through the racing dates at that track until it finished and the winter season was quickly approaching. Knowing the competition would become much harder it was decided that the Trainer would take some of the horses and go to other tracks where the competition was not so difficult. I was given the choice to either stay in Florida during the winter and have to wait to get infrequent mounts or go with the horses and be able to ride more often, it was not a hard choice to make as I was keen to get riding as soon as possible.
It was November when we left South Florida and traveled to the Fairgrounds in New Orleans and I was full of hope to be able to ride more often, I wasn’t given many opportunities to ride while there for the three months but gained the experience of riding races with some of the top riders and horses from that circuit. One memory stands out in my mind as an experience I would never forget, I had a mount to ride one day and everything went normally until I was in the race near the finish line and when I was gaining on the leader, the Jockey an old timer that had years of experience turned his head and let fly a big wad of Tobacco spit that hit me squarely in the face stunning me and broke my concentration which gave him just enough time to win the race beating my mount by a short margin. I went to him after the race and asked him what the big idea was and he told me winning races son. I chalked it up to experience and went about my business as I was an Apprentice and didn’t want to start anything in the Jockeys room to get me in trouble with the Stewards who were the Judge, Jury, and Executioner on the racetrack.
Not having any luck winning any races there the trainer decided we would go try another track in Kentucky and so we loaded up all our horses to the Horse Vans and off we went to northern Kentucky. We arrived at a racetrack named Latonia which was maybe ten miles south of Cincinnati Ohio and it was our first night there, the next morning we awoke to everything covered with Ice as it has rained and then froze covering our cars and everything else. It was my first experience seeing Snow and Ice as I had never spent a winter in the north. This was a whole new experience for me as it was night racing there except on Saturdays when there was racing during the daytime.
It was very cold exercising the horses and I would have to wear a ski mask to cover my face as well as two pairs of gloves to protect me from the wind while galloping the horses during training hours. This routine continued as we prepared the horses for the races that the trainer would select for them from a condition book which was prepared by the Racing Secretary of the racetrack. It specified certain requirements that the horse had to meet to be able to run, such as the amount of money earned or the number of races won within a certain period of time. I was gaining experience every day and was starting to ride a few of the horses in the races, then it happened. The trainer in the same barn as us asked if I wanted to ride their horse and I was more than happy to accept. It turned out my trainer had also put me on one of our horses the same day, it was a Saturday, the track was very muddy as it had thawed from a freeze.
Not really expecting anything special I went to the Jockeys room and waited for my races and when the time came went to the saddling area called the Paddock and met the other trainer that had given me the mount on his horse. He instructed me on how he wanted me to ride him and then we mounted our horses and went out to the racetrack, I was led to the starting gate and we were put in along with all the other horses. The gate doors sprang open and we were racing down the backstretch and I was near the front of the pack until we started to approach the turn when I asked my horse for his best effort and he went to the lead, now I was in front riding like some kind of possessed demon and before I knew it the finish line was there, we had Won!
It was my first win, I was overjoyed when we entered the winner’s circle to have the win pictures taken. I felt like I had won the Kentucky Derby and thanked the trainer for letting me ride his horse. I then went to the Jockeys room to await my next race and during the walk back I could hear the track announcer over the loudspeaker announce it was my first winner as a Jockey. It was like I was walking above the ground, I was so elated but this was soon to be eclipsed beyond anything I had yet imagined. I had to wait a couple races until my next mount so I watched from the Jockeys room and wondered what would be next.
Now it was time for my next race, I went to the Paddock and was met by the trainer I worked for and was congratulated by him for my win and he told me to try and do it again, so upon the horse, I went and out to the track. We were led to the starting gate as before and loaded in with all the others, next thing I know we broke from the gate with the ringing of the bell and off we went racing down the backstretch getting hit with mud being kicked up from the other horses, I maneuvered my mount through the pack as best I could and again I sent my mount to the front of the turn approaching the homestretch. We were in front again and went on to win another race! I had won two races breaking my maiden with two winners on the same day, I was beyond ecstatic! My dream was now a reality and I was on my way to being a Jockey.
My first winner in Florida for ex-jockey Joe Borst. The Calder Girl was Jockey Ron Beherens wife.
This is another Horse trained by Joe Borst, Sylvia’s Prince. He was so sway backed they used a pillow for a saddle pad, but he won in a 5 horse finish and made the cover of Florida Turf Fan Magazine. It was like a 3 Stooges Movie.
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Proud Pretender, one of the wildest Horses I ever rode. It was all I could do to stay on him in the post parade, trained by Gene St. Leon’s uncle Raul Hoffman who also was my contract holder. Pretender also had been ruled off the racetrack but was allowed to run again after getting his gate card and won 5 times that year. Who are all those damn Hippies ? 
This horse was
the first winner for Robert Dello Russo. I also see that I won with all 3 of the horses that finished 1-2-3. This is also the day I won 5 out of 8 races.
I’m going to continue on with a list of horses I won with and will describe what I can remember about them.
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This Horse was a solid runner, easy to ride and fast as you can see 1:11 4/5 is a good time for Calder at that time. Trained by a retired Jockey Dan Meehan and was a good man soft spoken and I enjoyed riding for him.
I will be listing the horses in random order .
I had never seen this filly until I mounted her in the paddock. Trained by E. Anspach whom I never met in person. This filly was really good and broke well on the outside and by the time I was at the 5/8′ pole she was dragging me to the front, she took the lead easily and I never had to hit her, Mr. Anspach’s horses were always ready and the forman would name me on the horses, I can’t remember how many races I won for them. When he ran an entry at Calder Don Meade Jr. was the other rider on the entry and ask if I wanted to “save” I agreed no problem, whoever wins splits the mount fee.
**TO BE CONTINUED**