Shaun Bridgmohan: A Jockey's Journey To Kentucky Derby Dreams

He traveled from the tiny island of Jamaica, an island that is rich in the tradition of jockeys. Shaun Bridgmohan didn't begin his journey into the life of a jockey on the island, but after arriving in Florida, he got the urge. The riding bug hit him when he was seventeen, and after graduating from high school he began writing his journey not knowing how far the racing gods would take him. Shaun Bridgmohan began riding in 1997 and quickly recorded his first win. The bug boy, a name given to a young jockey who hasn't won a certain amount of races moved his journey to New York. Six months later he won six races in one day at Aqueduct racetrack. When I asked Shaun about his greatest achievements, he  highlighted the six wins that he had the privilege of accomplishing twice. He achieved this feat in New York and then came back at the Fairgrounds in New Orleans a few years later, and duplicated the achievement as a journey man jockey. After arriving in New York, the young apprentice would go on to win the Eclipse award for best young apprentice, which essentially is the academy awards for horse racing. The journey had taken full flight.

Shaun Bridgmohan's career as a journey man jockey progressed well while he was in New York. He had  his first graded stakes win, wrote his legacy with some stirring rides on horses like Brutally Frank, Evening Attire, who he rode in the Breeders' Cup Classic, Volponi, and one of my favorites Peeping Tom whom he also rode in the Breeders' Cup Sprint. Bridgmohan also climbed aboard Midnight Lute at Saratoga and rode him masterfully. Shaun would continue writing his story in New York with over nineteen graded stakes wins. Something was missing. He was deeply rooted in a jockey colony with Hall Of Fame jockeys rubbing elbows with him in the jockeys' room. Trying to break into the top barns proved challenging. He believed in his skills. He knew he had the talent, so he had to make a move.

Bridgmohan's career really blossomed when he journeyed to Arlington Park in 2005. Being new to the colony the young rider knew he had to prove himself to trainers and owners on the circuit. Shaun took the riding colony by storm and won the riding title. He found his way into many barns, but one trainer took extra notice of his talent and something special was about to be born. Trainer Steve Asmussen liked how the young rider sat on a horse. He admired his horse intelligence and quickly gave him the status of stable rider, which meant that Shaun would have the first call on horses in the barn. This is how Bridgmohan always saw his career evolving when he dreamt about success. He knew if given the chance consistently to sit on horses that are runners, his ceiling would be very high. He was now on the national stage and not just a journey man jockey lost amongst the midst of Jerry Bailey, Richard Migliore, and Johnny Velasquez in New York. The stage now belonged to him. Bridgmohan and Asmussen became a formidable team. Asmussen and "Bridge' as he is called by racing fans, quickly formed a bond that cashed many winning tickets. Asmussen and Bridgmohan teamed up three times in the Kentucky Derby. Their best horse together was Pyro who was on every one's top ten list going into the 2008 derby. Pyro and Bridgmohan didn't set anyone on fire that day and finished ninth in the prestigious race.

In this year's Kentucky Derby, Shaun will be aboard the West Point owned Commanding Curve. The three year old is trained by Dallas Stewart whose long shot Golden Soul almost left us dumbfounded. Golden Soul came running last year and finished second in the Derby. Commanding Curve is a late developing horse. He broke his maiden by getting his first win after four starts. His maiden victory was a nice win on a chilly Saturday at Churchill Downs with Bridgmohan in the saddle.

Dallas Stewart shut the horse down after that win and shipped him down to Fairgrounds for the winter. After a few steady works, Commanding Curve made his three year old debut in the Risen Star, an ambitious start for a horse who had only won one race. But this is the time of the year when trainers are figuring out if they have a derby contender or just a nice horse. His try in the Risen Star didn't put him on any list to win the Kentucky Derby. He waltzed home sixth that day. Stewart knew exactly what he is doing with the horse. He knew the horse would need a race compared to some others who already had made a couple starts for their three year old campaign. He got Commanding Curve working, and he tightened him some more for his next start.  Commanding Curve showed he belonged with the titans when he came back in the Louisiana Derby and finish a troubled third behind Vicars In Trouble. The young horse was reaching at the end of the race wanting to go further. He will get that this Saturday as the three year olds all attempt to navigate a mile and a quarter for the first time. When asked about Commanding Curve and how he sees the horse in the derby, Bridgmohan states,"Commanding Curve is an improving three year old with a lot of upside. The race should have a lot of speed which should benefit my horse's running style."

There are various accomplishments that define an athlete. In the NBA its the end of year championship, and in football, the Super Bowl is the pinnacle that all football players journey towards at the beginning of every season. In horse racing the Kentucky Derby is the ultimate goal. Bridgmohan has won titles at various tracks. He has ridden in Dubai on Dubai World Cup night. He has won several grade one races and has made a very good living as a jockey. However, this journey that began at the age of seventeen in Florida, when he knew he wanted to be jockey, won't be complete without a Kentucky Derby win. Bridgmohan said,"Winning the derby would mean everything to me, it is the ultimate prize." Bridgmohan also thinks a win in the derby would have  an impact on the island of Jamaica that has many great athletes.

Will he win? Only the racing gods know what will happen. They have the race scripted from a few weeks ago when Commanding Curve was on the outside looking in, hoping to get in the body of the race. Unfortunately some horses had to withdraw because of various issues and a spot opened for Commanding Curve, Bridgmohan, Stewart, and WestPoint Stables.  Don't be surprised if when the horses turn for home at Churchill Downs, the voice of Larry Collmus picks up Commanding Curve weaving through horses to win. Don't be surprised! Bridgmohan won't be. His wife and kids won't be surprised either. The people of Jamaica won't be. This is the journey he has been on. A journey that started in Spanish Town, Jamaica, a journey scripted when he was seventeen years old and making the decision that he wanted to be like his idol Mike Smith.

Untapable A Freak Amongst Ladies

In the mornings she glides around the race track with the gentleness of a lady, but in the afternoon she demolishes everyone like a freak. Untapable the three year old filly trained by Steve Asmussen will be the favorite in this year's running of the Kentucky Oaks. The Oaks is the female version of the Kentucky Derby and is usually run a day before the boys take their running to the track. After this weekend is over, everyone may only be talking about the filly that sent shock waves through Kentucky. Rachel Alexandra did that in 2009 when she took jockey Calvin Borel on a joy ride in the Oaks. Her win opened pocket books and wallets. She was sold to Stonestreet Stables who quickly moved the horse to trainer Steve Asmussen. The Rachel saga grew as she took on and beat the boys in the second leg of the triple crown, the Preakness Stakes. Untapable has a lot more to do before she can be compared to Rachel Alexandra, but she is well on her way.

Untapable broke her maiden in a five and half furlong race at Churchill Downs. She came back in the Pocahantas and while racing a little green surged at the wire to win by a head.  That win propelled her into an early betting choice for the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. The young star disappointed that day. She finished up the track a disappointing eighth. She would then be wheeled around a month later at Hollywood Park for the Grade One Starlet, where she would finish third.  Horse racing is all about what have you done for me lately, and after that showing on Breeders' Cup day, and at Hollywood Park, people started to sway in other directions. Her trainer, Steve Asmussen  gave her some time off and sent her down to the Fairgrounds in New Orleans where he does most of his business for the winter.

The Fairgrounds woke up the freak in this talented young lady and she began her three year old journey with a resounding win in the Rachel Alexandra. She reunited with Rosie Napravnik who was her pilot for her first two wins. The two made little work of their competitors, and the swaying tongues that had began to look elsewhere for their next delight started to sing her praises once more. While Untapable was bringing back her lovers to her, another three year old filly was starting to write her own history. Unbridled Forever,  introduced herself to the world when she won in her first start at Churchill Downs. Her win had those fickle lovers jumping on her bandwagon. They have found another one to fall in love with. She also went down to the Fairgrounds with her trainer Dallas Stewart and began a love affair with the sweet melody of Louisiana. Unbridled Forever made her three year old debut in the Silverbulletday and sent her rivals back to their stalls with their heads hung. She wanted everyone to know that Untpable wasn't the only female in town trying to secure princess status. The buildup began. Who would win in a matchup between Untapable and Unbridled Forever? The lovers took sides and the money showed they favored Untapable a little more when they both met in the Fairground Oaks. The race wasn't much of a race by the time the females turned for home. Untapable with Rosie using her strong hand urging and whip, left Unbridled Forever and the other wannabe princesses in the midst of her freakiness. She crossed the wire and Unbridled Forever gasped home in third. Her time for the running of the Fairgrounds Oaks was better than the Louisana Derby winner and the older horses that day. How would she fair in the Kentucky Derby? Sadly we won't know because the derby and its point system doesn't include the filly races. That is a case to be tackled for next season, but this season she will compete against the girls on the first Friday in May.

Who can dethrone this filly whose muscles are breaking through her flesh. Who will be able to break her will if she is a hundred percent? A close look at the field and one would see horses that she already defeated with ease. Ria Antonia with Mike Smith in the saddle comes to town after being shipped to Bob Baffert's barn where she displayed a nice run in the Santa Anita Oaks. She galloped home second behind a young lady who is developing a lovely style of her own. Fashion Plate will bring her high cat walk fashion to town after winning the Santa Anita Oaks. She has won three in a row and will be ridden by Hall Of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. She will be the second choice behind Untapable and some believe her to be very dangerous in the Oaks. Unbridled Forever comes back for more and this time hopes to give Untapable some of her own medicine. The rest of the field is comprised of lovely young ladies who will be heard from down the road. Their story lines will be written throughout the summer.

This Friday, it is hard for me to see Untapable getting beat when the starter lets them go. If she breaks well and settle in her normal spot, a few lengths off the leader, then turning for home she will take them apart and break their wills. Will we see a Rachel Alexandra's type of performance? We all don't know. This field has some nice young ladies who can run, but if she was to display that same type of freakish behavior like Rachel, then in two weeks she may just show the boys how its done in the Preakness. One race at a time and that first race is Friday. I am looking forward to seeing this princess strut her style over the Churchill surface leaving a memorable performance  with lovers wanting and begging for more.

Willie Simms...1901..The End

They dominated the sports and then they were by gone by 1904. Black jockeys stood in the stirrups and won race after race before sweeping racism soared over racetracks barring them from doing what they enjoyed most. Most of these riders didn't attend school but handling a race horse was the genius found in their hands. They knew how to get run out of a horse, by getting the horse to do more than they would for any other jockey.

One black jockey that stood out amongst the crowd was Willie Simms. Willie was born in Georgia in 1880,  and the glamor of horse racing placed its love in his blood from an early age. He knew he wanted to be a rider. Simms took his skills to Kentucky and quickly showed that his talents weren't just a tongue filled wish but God given. He rode in the Kentucky Derby in 1896 and in 1898. Both times he entered the race the young jockey produced winners. He guided Ben Brush in 1896 and then came back aboard Plaudit in 1898 to win once more.

 Willie Simms gifts enabled him to do what other black jockeys at the time didn't do and that was to win all triple crown races. He won the Belmont Stakes in 1893 and 1894 and also won the Preakness Stakes in 1898. Willie Simms took his riding style over the ocean and introduced the American style of riding in England.  The English called him a "Monkey On A Stick" but quickly the riding style was adopted. They called his riding style the "American Seat".  He became the first American to win in England.  The young jockey skills was much taller than he ever was.

The climate of the country changed and white jockeys started to boycott as a result of black jockeys and their tremendous riding skills. White jockeys would deliberately do things on the track to impede them. Jim Crow flew with wings that spread wide and far. Many believed that  these young talent belonged on the back stretch of the race track. They believed that they should be the one doing the preparation not the one that the crowd came to see. Unfortunately, the climate of the time caused many of these young men to abandon the sport they loved. They migrated to the stalls, mucking and shucking. Willie Simms hanged up his riding skills in 1901.


Today most African American youths are running towards other sports. They are not chasing the glory of the black jockeys from yesteryear. Sadly, when we think of icons in American sports and the contribution that African American made , we tend not to remember the black jockeys who rode and dominated the sport. You can ask any youth and they can tell you a little about Jackie Robinson and the major impact he had. My son who is ten years old saw the Jackie Robinson movie a couple years ago and quickly fell in love with the man. He plays baseball and forty two is the number he always request at the start of the season.

I hope one day that the racing community and the sporting world would pause and remember these giants who were too tiny to fight the claws of Jim Crow and racism. I hope one day that this sport that I fell in love with as a youth, would be generous in remembering those who didn't read and write very well, but whose hands were gifted from God in the sport of thoroughbred horse racing.

Fake Dirt And The Kentucky Derby

Have you ever eaten tofu chicken? It was presented to me on a lovely plate, accompanied by some vegetables and dressed up with some type of sauce that would typically cover chicken. When the impostor hit my mouth and began that dance I automatically began to revolt. This isn't chicken and my mind and body knew it. Horse racing has been eating some fake chicken over the past few years, and as a result the Kentucky Derby and even a Breeders' Cup classic race were hijacked by horses who wouldn't otherwise be entered. Gio Ponti almost won on the fake dirt but Zenyatta restored order that day. Gio Ponti was a very nice horse but wasn't a dirt horse, and even the fake stuff couldn't help him beat one of the great horses that we have seen in a while.

The Kentucky Derby over the past few years has become a mixture of dirt horses and horses that really don't like dirt but who have accumulated enough money or points to qualify. The Bluegrass ran at Keeneland, and the Spiral who does its business at Turfway, are the main contributor to this disruption of purity. We have seen some horses ran well at Churchill who were mainly fake dirt and turf horses, but those horses are usually really good horses who can compete on levels that superstar compete. Animal Kingdom and his dominant win in the derby gave false hope to trainers and owners. They began to believe that their horses can run over the dirt, but most quickly find out that their horses aren't Animal Kingdom. Another horse that send out the wrong message was Dullahan. He ran third in the 2012 derby and came back to win the Pacific Classic at DelMar  a few months later. His best finish after that win was a third place finish in the Arlington Handicap. Paddy O' Prado also gave false hope to many. He ran third in the derby after finishing second in the Bluegrass Stakes, but his most accomplished performances were done on the grass. Not a true dirt horse.

Over the years other horses have tried the fake dirt to real dirt method but failed. Dominican finished eleventh in the derby, Stately Victor finished seventh, Brilliant Speed finished seventh, Java's War was taking notes from the back finishing a rousing thirteenth, but those results have not deterred many. They keep coming hoping to strike gold. This year's fake dirt to Kentucky Derby hope and dreams are Dance With Fate,  We Miss Artie, and Harry's Holiday. We Miss Artie came running at the end of Spiral under a strong ride by Johnny Velasquez. He nosed out Harry's Holiday who came back to finish off the board in the Bluegrass Stakes. But onward march to the derby. Dance With Fate seems to be the most talented of all the fake dirt to Kentucky Derby dreamers. He took apart a good field in the Bluegrass Stakes,  and the horse who ran behind him, Medal Count, is a pretty good horse, but he too may love the lawn and fake dirt more than the Real McCoy.

I am all in for owners and trainers who want to get dressed up and show up with their charges on derby day hoping and dreaming. If you earn the points then its within your rights to participate, but I  did a little reggae dance when I heard that Keeneland who had lost their mind in the last few years is abandoning fakeness for the real stuff. I understand the mentality behind the fake dirt. I understand safety issues and all the studies did by someone in a lab somewhere. This is horse racing. Dirt and grass. Ditch the impostor.

When the odds are laid out this year by Mike Battaglia I believe We Miss Artie and Harry's Holiday will be in the midst of 50 to 1 and Medal Count and Dance With Fate much lower. On derby day We Miss Artie and Harry's Holiday will probably be higher, but they give hope to someone somewhere until the finish line come calling. I am curious about how Medal Count will perform. I think he has the ability to be a freak. He is strong and powerful, and Dale Romans has talked him up all winter. I wouldn't be surprised if he charged home like Dullahan or Paddy O' Prado. Dance With Fate looks like a runner. He did some nice work in California before strutting his attitude in Kentucky. If he loves the dirt then his chances goes up immensely.  I am going to pass.

Do the best horses always win the derby? Of course not, but I am willing to take my shot against those who are really up against it, especially when so many horses who love the real dirt seem capable of dominating. I am throwing out the fake dirt madness this year. Mine That Bird. I know. Not Real. Just an aberration.

I look forward to the races at Arlington Park and Colonial Downs this summer. I look forward to touting horse like Dance With Fate and Medal Count. I look forward to the Ramseys winning another turf race with We Miss Artie, but for the derby I want real chicken and what those three horses are serving I am not just eating.

Is The Kentucky Derby and Horse Racing A Big Deal?

I have heard over the past few weeks how the Kentucky Derby is no longer the race it once was. That the race has lost some of its luster over the years, and that horsemen and women are more concern with the long term goal of their horses rather than winning the Kentucky Derby. The idea that the Kentucky Derby is no longer the marquee event that trainers and owners alike want to shoot for if they have a quality three year old is so ludicrous. The Kentucky Derby is what the Oscars are to movies. Every actor and actress wants that shiny gold dude on their mantle. It is a sign of acceptance. A big notch in the belt of well done. I remembered being in college and majoring in theatre directing. When I won that little award called the Tyrone Guthrie award for best directing I was on cloud ten and higher. Then one day has I watched the Tony Awards, and saw my fellow classmate walk away with a Tony for Rent, it validated all the hard work we all put in those four years. Horse racing is a sport that has been taken over by some many entities that the tracks nowadays can look like a battle field with only a few strong men and women standing. The racing industry needs anything it can hold onto to bring the sport to the masses. The Kentucky Derby is one of the few things in horse racing that the common man would know. He probably wouldn't know the difference between an exacta and trifecta, but the Kentucky Derby he would know, and if you ask just the right person they may even know who won the previous year derby.

At some tracks the purses are going out the roof because of the introduction of slot machines. This is one of those false positive for racing. The purses are rising not as a result of patrons loving the product but because they are digging the appetizer. Horse racing needs to find that meat that people are going to love to eat. On one day in May the sport gets to show that. The derby shouldn't be this thing that appears and then falls asleep until the following year. It should be an advertised event year round, just like potato chips or fast food commercial hits me over the head every few minutes. Where is the money being generated by the sport? start investing into the industry and draw the masses to the sport. Nascar is one of the biggest money makers in the world of sports. They are making money because they have built their fan base and treated them well over the years by allowing them access to the stars. Horse racing needs to showcase their athletes. Wise Dan needs to be showcased. He needs to have the wide appeal like a Zenyatta had. People should know when this equine superstar is going to hit the track. Publicity is the hunger of horse racing that is not being fed. Nascar never runs away from its accidents and misfortunes. Drivers dying on the track. Some of the most horrific crashes, yet they shine. Horse racing is afraid of the petas of the world. Horses go down. Jockeys go down. It is a part of the sport that we shouldn't runaway from but educate and invite closer scrutiny. Another aspect of the sport that needs attention are the jockeys. Why isn't the jockey guild telling its participants that in order for then to make more money and have a higher profile that they need to learn the language. I am sure this isn't the most political correct thing to say in our day of being political correct but lets deal with the elephant in the room. I have watched coverage on the biggest day of horse racing and the jockeys sometimes can't answer the questions. I am not talking about having everything sounding perfect because that isn't the real world. A few years ago a young jockey won a major race and when approached by the announcer he looked at her and everyone around him like what is this person saying. The announcer was professional. She said he was so choked up he couldn't answer. I have seen jockeys made remarkable growth in the language since their beginnings on the track. Javier Castellano is growing and have grown tremendously. That is effort and his workman like attitude is also shown in his riding skills. Rafael Bejarano and Joel Rosario are too other jockeys whose command of the language has grown leaps and bound, and one should never forget Johnny Velasquez whose first interview at Breeders' Cup Day is night and day from his command today of the language. Nowadays he could talk forever. Julien Leparoux is another beacon in this area. We need to market our stars, and to make them marketable we need to present them in the best light. The NBA tells it players to come to the arena in sports jacket and tie. They understand the rules. They understand product selling. Those are the rules of the world. It just is.

The Kentucky Derby will have celebrities walking the carpet and parties will flow during the week, but once they have packed up and leave town the sport will still go on. The other legs of the triple crown should then take up the torch and run with it. The Preakness should be the next step that occupies everyone thought process. We should make the Kentucky Derby winner the second coming of Christ. We need to build him up like the superstar that he is. We need to see him breezing and eating. We need to see commercial asking whether or not he is going to do it. Will he win the second crown of the jewel? Who is going to stop him? People needs to be excited about something for them to watch it. I watched this past Super Bowl with my team the New York Giants sitting at home. I was still excited about watching the game. I found a reason to root for someone in the game. I needed a villain for me to watch. I found one and enjoyed the game immensely. The Preakness, the second leg of the triple crown needs heroes and villains.

After the Preakness is over then the Belmont Stakes takes center stage. If we are lucky to have a horse win the first two legs of the triple crown then the marketing of the even for New York Racing Association should be easy. Use some of that slot money and splurge on the event. Buy spots on television and invite the audience to watch your sport. If we are without a triple chance, then market the event as such. Let the audience know that the grueling task of winning the second jewel took down the derby winner, but he is back in the Belmont Stakes trying to show he is the best horse. Have it be  an event based on the winner of the first two legs of the triple crown.

After the triple crown season is over we move into Saratoga and Del Mar. Sell sell. Have people understand the magnitude of Saratoga. Introduce people to the history, and while doing this make a case for the Arlington Million and Haskell. Sell! Have people excited about the sports until the Breeders' Cup rolls around. The Breeders' Cup and the build up should be one of the easiest sell for the industry. This is a worldwide event and it should be sold as such. Let people know that the world is showing up to take on America. That is a winning point. America versus the world, so when Tom Durkin say Tiznow wins it for America it should resonate deeply. This is us against them. Sell!!

Horse racing is alive and well and those who think the sport is dying are the ones who are still living in that dense fog that doesn't allow them to see beyond their own hands. The sport has turned a corner and headed in other avenues with HRTV and TVG becoming the Mutuel Teller of todays horse racing, but the sport still have plenty of room for growth. The various parts of this sport needs to align themselves together. Too many cooks in the kitchen. We need one commissioner to oversee the on goings of everything. We need commonality throughout the game. One set of rules for all. We need small tracks to have inviting purses like their siblings. Get rid of the step child mentality and function as one. When one dies the entire sport suffers.

The Kentucky Derby is that moment each year that I look forward to. I probably look forward to it more than the Super Bowl and definitely more than the NBA championship, especially when my Knicks are not in contention. I enjoy the prep races leading up to the big dance. Who will make it and who won't. Can a horse get the distance or not? All the jockey juggling. This sport is no longer just for kings and queens and deep pockets. The life blood of the sport are the small people who are just in love with the science. The life blood of the sport are the Kentucky Derby and its appeal and all the side dishes that are offered throughout the year.

In the movie Field Of Dreams, Kevin Costner character was told if you build it they will come. Horse racing has the components in place to be successful. It is a product worth selling but management and direction is a thorn that will let the sport bleed to death if common sense and knowledge doesn't rear its head.

Caymanas Park The Birth Place

Why horse racing? That is a common question  I get when someone finds out how much I love the sport. I grew up walking distance from the race track in St. Catherine, Jamaica. Caymanas Park was the place to be on Wednesdays and Saturdays. My father who owned a race horse named Keep Going was a horse player and I wanted to be just like him. I loved sitting around, listening to the Saturday night conversation about the various races that took place that day. Often the conversation would be about a certain jockey or a trainer who pulled off a shocker. My mother disliked how much I loved the horses. She did everything possible to discourage my love for the sport, but eventually she knew the battle was lost. I wanted to be a horse player.

One of the most dramatic moment happened when I was around ten years old. We all were having breakfast when my dads' groom came on the veranda of our home. The look on father's face told me something wasn't good. That was the first time I had ever heard the word colic. My dad's horse had colic and passed away. My mother said nothing. My siblings and I had no idea what was going on but my father excused himself from the table and went with the groom. Keep Going had won one race with jockey Emilio Rodriquez riding him. Emilio would eventually become my favorite jockey on the island. After the passing of Keep Going I would go in the closet that stored the silks of my father's stable and put it on. The smell. The thought that a jockey had put this on made me dream of riding a horse in a race.  I would crouch over like a jockey and using a long piece of stick, I would ride and pump, reciting a race that had stuck in my head earlier. The game had me in its clutches and wasn't about to let me go.

The jockeys were and still are one of the biggest draw to  Caymanas Park in Jamaica. The jockeys would get nicknames from the locals based on how they ride or because of something that sticks out about them.  Emilio Rodriguez nickname was "Bimbo", then you had Winston "Fanna Griffiths who was the people's champion. Jamaicans loved "Fanna" who got his nickname from how he would use his stick on a horse. He would show the horse the whip and like a fan he would wave it rapidly back and forth, usually getting an extra drive out of his horse. Jockeys like Charles Hussey and George HoSang were regular money players for the fans at the track. We had jockeys who lived in the neighborhood and that added to beauty of the races for me. Jockeys like the Andrades lived a short distance from my home. I remembered when the youngest of the Andrades, Boyd Andrade won his first race. The young apprentice stood up in the saddle when he hit the wire and raised his right hand to the crowd. It was big news on the television that night. His career never lasted long because he outgrew the saddle, and he never got the recognition his brother Alton got who was a skilled rider. Other jockeys who lit up the tote boards and made fans angry and happy all in one day were, Robert "Collie" Reid, Pernel Linton, Carl "Duece" Morgan, Neville Anderson, Fitzroy "Pumpkin" Glispie, David "Scorcher" Mckenzie, Hubert "Chinna" Bartley, and many more that gave me  lasting images  on many cool Saturday nights.  These jockeys and their horses would be a topic of conversation at my house on a Saturday evening after the races. Men would argue how badly a horse was ridden and how they could have done it better. This was all usually washed down with jerk chicken and some Red Stripe Beer.

The biggest moment at the track in Jamaica when I was a child was the running of the Derby. Everyone had their horse. Arguments would break out between  people over who the best horse was. Legal Light was the first dominating horse I ever knew. He won the Jamaican Derby in 1977. What a moment that was. Everyone had him it seemed after the race. His trainer, the legendary Billy Williams, nickname Masters, won the prestigious Jamaica Derby five times. Williams was the first Jamaican to saddle a winner in Puerto Rico during the running of Confraternity Classic in 2006, when his charge Miracle Man who had won the Jamaican Derby in 2005 pulled out the win. Williams passed away in 2009 at the age of 78. Another horse that had me excited as a youth was Harlequin. What a horse. I remembered when he journeyed down to Puerto Rico for the Caribbean classic. My dad and his friends circled around the radio to listen to the race. I was buried in the midst. The race caller had Harlequin in front. The excitement enveloped our three bedroom house. Sadly, Harlequin's stay in front would be short lived. He finished up the track, but the joy of hearing one of our own being called in a race, in a place that was foreign to us was thrilling.

Female trainers made their way around the mostly men dominated track. One woman that stood out when I was a child was the legendary Eileen Cliggott. I remembered her big horse truck vanning her horses on race day to the track. She never won the trainers title, but she was a constant force winning over nine hundred races. The British born trainer retired in 2001, and she died at the age of ninety in 2007.

Over the years Jamaican jockeys made the trip across the ocean and landed in places like Canada and The United States. On the backstretch you can find many working as exercise riders and many who have made a living riding in races. Jockeys like Andrew Ramgeet, who won the Jamaican Derby a few times continue to show off his skills along with Ramon Parish, and Barrington Harvey. Also young apprentice Andre Worrie just moved his skills to New York and Jermaine Bridgmohan is still trying to find a steady fit for his talent. The most notable of Jamaican jockeys are Shaun Bridgmohan and Rajiv Maragh. Both jockeys have competed in the prestigious Kentucky Derby, which is big on the island, and both are consistently on the top money winner list year round. Rajiv Maragh has his derby mount this year with Wicked Strong, and Shaun Bridgmohan is hoping to draw into the body of the race with Commanding Curve. Both horses should  make a good account of themselves if  all goes well. Other Jamaicans who have made a name for themselves are trainers Ralph Ziadie and Colin Maragh. Jockey agent Richard Depass was a former champion jockey in the seventies in Jamaica. He has represented Jorge "Chop Chop"Chavez and Rajiv Maragh.

Horse racing is a story line that lives in my blood stream. It came to me one day when the Jamaican sun baked on asphalt and country dirt. It wrote a story of love and joy in my blood. Horse racing became to me what basketball or football would be for any kid growing up in the United States. When I moved to the states it took a moment for me to find my way around the New York tracks. The loves fest began once again once I regained my footing. The story that birthed itself in Caymanas Park started a rewrite with my new journey. The joy came full circle on a chilly day at Aqueduct when my favorite jockey when I was a kid in Jamaica, Emilio "Bimbo" Rodriquez won. Memories flooded to the backdrop of my mind, bringing back that cool Saturday when going to Caymanas Park was the thing that filled a young Jamaican kid with excitement.

Kevin Krigger...It Was Only A Year Ago

It was only a year ago when Kevin Krigger took his confident personality and displayed masterful riding aboard Goldencents. Krigger a native of the US Virgin Islands came into the Santa Anita Derby confident that his charge would dismantle his rivals. The horse and Krigger did just that, and at the wire a confident but relieved Krigger  placed his head in the horses' mane as he pumped him past the wire. Back at the winners' circle, years of thinking that he belonged came rushing to the surface. He raised his hand in victory like a climber who just conquered the tallest mountain. Swarm of crowds descended in the winners' circle. Kevin hugged everyone in arms length. He was the conversation. He was sitting on the best horse in Southern California. Kevin dreamt of winning the Kentucky Derby when he was a child back home in the Virgin islands, He would sit on the armrest of his parents sofa and pretended he was riding in the derby. The moment was no longer a dream. He had his derby ride and possibly a ticket to being realized as a top jockey. He arrived  in Kentucky and the confidence soared even higher. The horse was doing great and training lovely over the Churchill surface. Doug O'Neil the trainer of the horse had won the previous derby with I''ll Have Another, so experience  in the big dance wouldn't be an issue. Krigger had the victory suit made. His family all came to his side. The sweet melody of his Caribbean accent embraced the microphone, giving the sometimes stuffy derby experience a new face. Social media fell in love with the jockey. Could he be the first black jockey in decades to win this prestigious race. People who had never watched a horse race before came to the sport. They all knew who Goldencents was and the history that awaited him and his jockey.

A downpour washed over the Churchill downs surface and everyone wondered how would Goldencents and others take to the sloppy surface. The plan for Goldencents was just like in the other races. Go to the lead, slow it down, and then let them come get you if they can. I sat and watched the parade of horses. Goldencents looked spectacular. Krigger's was still flashing that smile that had endeared him to so many. My Kentucky home, the final touch before the horses made history, sang beautifully throughout the grandstand. The  crowd was ready. they loaded in the gate. Mark Johnson and his British accent gave the moment a sense of beauty. The starter unleashed the horses and they were off running. Goldencents popped out of the gate with the quickness that all had become accustomed to. He was quickly joined on the front end by Palace Malice who was geared to go on with it. Krigger took back and quickly found himself in fourth and eating dirt. Palace Malice chewed up the front end. I knew it was done. Krigger knew he was done. Palace Malice wouldn't last either but he clearly took Goldencents out of his game. The horse and Krigger crossed the finish line a muddy seventeenth. History had to wait another year. The racing gods were not ready to change this just yet. After the race, both Krigger and trainer Doug O'Neil said the horse didn't care for the surface.  Onto the Preakness, the second jewel in the triple crown glory.

Kevin Krigger decided to travel with the horse to Pimlico. He wanted to be involve in the daily routines of the horse. Was it a bad decision? Well after the running of the Preakness where Goldencents did not fire and finished up the field, Krigger returned home to California to find out that business wasn't as usual. He had just won the Santa Anita Derby two months ago. He rode one of the favorites in the Kentucky Derby, and then to show his dedication to horse and sport, he traveled with the horse to Pimlico. Surely someone had to notice his seriousness for the game. Surely someone will remember how he was a talented rider. They didn't remember. Kevin Krigger wasn't getting booked. He was riding long shots that are usually tucked way for journeymen jockeys whose talents are yet to be recognized or bug boys trying to make a name for themselves. Kevin Krigger hadn't done drugs. He wasn't arrested for domestic abuse, he hadn't done anything detrimental to the game or himself, but the reception was cold. Then the kicker in the mouth was when he was removed from the horse and the ride was given to Rafael Bejarano, who won the Breeders' Cup mile on the horse. Kevin stood around the Southern California circuit until it was time to pack bags and move down to Golden Gate where he had made a name for himself. The commentary on Krigger was that he shouldn't have gone with the horse to Pimlico because he lost his business. I laughed. Everyone with common sense laughed. The horse racing game is a weird but enjoyable business.  The fact that a jockey who made a decision to be with his horse, a horse that he believed would take him to great heights would be shun by many is confounding. I have seen jockeys do some ridiculous things in the game and it was back to business the moment they climbed back in the saddle. The fact that some jockeys can be arrested and go missing for days yet are still rewarded for this behavior is mind blowing. The question every trainer and owner ask themselves is whether or not a jockey can get the job done. Can they make money if this jockey is riding their horse. If that is the fundamental question then Krigger shouldn't have lost his business, but he did, and the remaking of Kevin Krigger is underway.

Last weekend Kevin Krigger's name surfaced at Gulfstream Park. He won. Just like he has done in other places. He is trying to find the dream once again. Chasing the big horse that will propel him into star quality. Kevin Krigger star never dimmed in the Caribbean where jockeys toiled in the hot sun doing what other jockeys everywhere are doing. The first Saturday of May is only a couple of weeks away and the horses will once again shine on the track. Celebrities will pack the Churchill Downs stands. Parties will flow with champagne and dreams will sing happy endings in jockeys' minds. Krigger probably won't be there this year. He will probably be sitting in a jock's room on a equicizer horse  watching the race, and when the voice of Larry Colmus brings them home, Krigger will be on the winner pumping away past the wire like he did on Goldencents a year ago, like he did on his parents' sofa. The Kentucky Dream will never die in Kevin's heart, and when that train is once again ready to take him on the ride he will be better prepared for the journey.