Page 27 - February 2007 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper The Game, February 2007 27
Emma-Jayne in the Big Easy
When Canada’s leading jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson decided she would ride in the United States this winter, the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans stood out as the most comfortable fit.
“The Fair Grounds was a logical choice for a couple of reasons,” she says. “I’ve been here before. I galloped at the Fairgrounds for Sam-Son. There’s a lot of Canadians down here that I’m familiar with –trainers Malcolm Pierce, Josie Carroll, Mark Frostad, and Mike Mareina.”
At the Fair Grounds, Wilson is represented by jockey agent Britt McGehee, who also handles the book for James Graham, a perennial top-five. Wilson understood from the beginning, that as an outsider, she wasn’t going to be put on the best horse in every race.
Three days later, Wilson was on another Pierce-trained filly, Lien on Me, in the 8th, an allowance race at 7 and a-half furlongs on the turf. In spite of the fact that she had never ridden this particular distance on this course, Wilson showed an uncanny sense of the finish line. She kept Lien on Me well back until the far turn and came about six horses wide into the stretch. About 50 yards from the wire, she urged her filly past Song of the Lark, a Sam-Son horse trained by Mark Frostad. Lien on Me won by a length and a half and again, Wilson confounded the bettors, paying $13.80 to win.
Aside from the great experience of establishing herself in the American market, Wilson also has the chance to witness a little history and she has been watching first-hand how New Orleans is picking up the pieces from the devastating effects of Hurricane
Katrina
“I’m pretty close to the track,” she says. “You can
drive around and see the damage that Katrina has left behind. Everywhere you look, there’s some things that haven’t changed and there’s rebuilding. The culture of New Orleans is still strong and unique. One of the big commercials that the Fair Grounds airs on their simulcast says, ‘This city was ravaged by war and burned to the ground twice. Don’t even mention that little storm.’ They’re resilient people and they’re going to come back and rebuild.”
One thing that has made it a little easier for Wilson to work her way into the jock’s community is that she has worked at this track in previous years.
“I know some of the older guys like Robbie Albarado and James Graham and Corey Lanerie,” she says. “They know who I am. It’s good to have some friendly faces in the new jocks’ room and it made it a whole lot easier to get in the groove of riding races.”
Wilson was asked if she ever gets confused from all the Meches at the track.
“The Meche family is significant in horse racing down here” she answers. “Lonnie and Donnie are twins and Cody is their younger brother.”
So which of the twins is the better rider?
“I couldn’t tell you who was who. They’re identical.” Wilson intends to put up the best numbers possible at
the Fairgrounds until about the middle of March. That’s when she’ll start gravitating to the colder, but more familiar environment.
“Woodbine is a long meet and a significant one to me,” she says seriously. “I’ll be heading there and looking forward to having the meet start back up.”
Which means on opening day, March 31, 2007, Emma-Jayne Wilson will be riding some favourites at Woodbine.
Through January 21, Wilson had ridden 88 horses at the Fair Grounds, with 7 wins, 6 seconds and 14 thirds.
“It’s like anywhere you go,” she says. “You ride for people and not for horses and you have to be willing to get out there and ride. Part of that establishing a reputation and getting on those horses that need a race. It’s a matter of working the people and being there riding races.”
So far, Wilson has found the locals to be warm and welcoming and it doesn’t hurt that she has a great resume.
“Coming in with the Eclipse Award was one of my biggest assets,” she says. “Having leading rider status from Woodbine has been great. The fans have been great. The trainers, the people themselves have been awesome. This is kind of a working holiday for me.”
Even though she’s riding a lot of underrated horses, it didn’t take Wilson very long to hit the winner’s circle. On December 22, her first day of racing, she delivered the second favorite Trion Georgia to a convincing victory for trainer/owner Ryan Beattie.
“It was nice to be on a live mount,” she reports. “He’s a little funny in the gate and we broke a little slow. I let him get his legs underneath him. We stalked the pace from four lengths out. The stretch at the Fair Grounds is a little longer than most, so I angled him off the fence as we came into the stretch. He got a little silly getting out down the lane, but I got his attention and he rallied willingly.”
Two days later, Wilson was given an undesired Christmas present in the 4th race. On the ironically named Quench, she was rudely tossed as the horses left the gate and Wilson found herself covered in Louisiana mud.
“I have no hard feelings,” she laughs. “The dirt at the Fair Grounds is designed to handle quiet a bit of rain and it was fairly mucky. He just stumbled. I’d like to say I’d never do it again, but coming off from time to time is just part of the game.”
Shrugging off her muddy deposit, Wilson proceeded to show the New Orleans racing fans what Woodbine regulars have grown accustomed to. On December 28, she was on the maiden, Fly By Moonlight, which,
according to the form, didn’t exactly look like a monster. The bettors veered away, letting Fly By Moonlight off at 11-1.
“In the paddock, trainer Ryan Beattie and I talked about it and he said, ‘He’ll run better when he’s close,’” recalls Wilson. “We broke and nobody was really looking to be on the lead and I was on the rail so I took advantage of the situation.”
Wilson rated Fly By Moonlight perfectly, winning by an open length. It was her second winner in a week for Beattie.
“Ryan Beattie’s a trainer from Maryland,” says Wilson, “He usually runs a few horse at Woodbine, so he knows who I am.”
The bettors at New Orleans may still have learning to do. On January 4, they gave her no chance On George Roy in the third, a maiden claiming race. That was poor handicapping as George Roy hit the wire first and paid over $36.00.
Wilson’s most exciting ride in her first few weeks in New Orleans came on January 8 when she was teamed with Malcolm Pierce’s four year old filly, Provocative Touch at a mile and a 16th on the turf. To say the least, Wilson’s touch in this race was provocative as she allowed her horse to settle in last, a good 14 lengths from the lead along the backstretch.
“If you know her from Woodbine, she’s a filly that comes from well off the pace,” says Wilson, explaining her tactics, “I’d breezed her once or twice for Malcolm. She’s just a momentum horse; she comes late. The Sam-Son filly, Scarlet Butterfly, got alone on the lead but she set a good pace so for us it was a matter of timing. I felt comfortable where I was assessing the situation. The Fair Grounds grass course is known to be tough on speed. The front runners generally come back.”
Wilson’s strategy was bang on. Provocative Touch started picking off horses around the far turn, came wide into the stretch and powered by the entire field to win with authority. It was Wilson’s first win on a favorite at the Fair Grounds.
is
Jockey Emma-Jayne Wilson in New Orleans
Photos Lou Hodges Jr.
What’s Happening Out of Town - Continued
Sunland Park - Sunland Park, New Mexico
Jockey Jake Barton has recorded five wins riding both thoroughbreds and quarter horses in New Mexico this winter, giving Arizona a miss this year. His winning mounts have purse earnings of $85,200 thus far.
Tampa Bay Downs - Oldsmar, Florida
Trainer Deborah Simpson’s first
winner at Tampa, Utmost Respect, was disqualified to second on December 12 for $19,200. However the second time the 4-year-old chestnut colt, owned by Carlos D’Amato, crossed the finish line first, it was official, this time for $16,700 on January 11.
Trainer Layne Giliforte has had a couple of winners for owner Melnyk Racing Stables Inc., the first on January 5 with Bottom Close for $10,100 and the second on January 14 with Hilton Terrace for $15,000.
had a stable of horses at Fort Erie this past season, has returned home to win with Blaine’s Storm for $6500 for owner Blue Star Stable.
Trainer Byian Lynch scored on behalf of Stronach Stables with King Attila on the turf for $16,000 on January 17.
Manitoba bred horse Winter Whiskey was a winner for his owner Mark Yagour and trainer Duane Knipe on January 21 for $6500.
Turf Paradise - Phoenix, Arizona
Jockey Vince Guerra has had three
winners this winter for purses totalling $22,800 and jockey Leanne Painter has recorded one win worth $10,200 thus far.
If you know of someone who is racing and winning “Out of Town” let The Game know by calling 1-866-886-5827 or email info@thehorsegame.com
Florida based trainer Myra Mora, who
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