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THE BACKSIDE
VINNIE BEDNAR
“Quarter Horses are much faster—everything happens much quicker.”
A Jockeys Perspective
by John Moorehouse
Home Base:
Monrovia, CA, but currently living in Orange County, CA, to be closer to Los Alamitos.
Years of Experience:
“I have been a professional jockey since November of 2011, so a total of about nine years.”
Favorite Hobby: “I like to go surfing, and play guitar and video games. I also like to do anything where I am spending quality time with family and friends.”
Recently, the horse racing world received sad news that 2019 World Champion gelding He Looks Hot died following another
bout with colic. Vinnie Bednar, the jockey who rode He Looks Hot to those accolades, reflected on the loss.
“I love that horse,” Bednar said. “He and I had a really special bond. From the get-go we just clicked. He had a better personality than most people do. He was a true professional and he just knew what to do when it came time to race. He was proud and loved to run.”
He Looks Hot claimed eight stakes victories—including last year’s running’s of the Champion of Champions-G1, Spencer L
Childers California Breeders’ Championship Handicap-G1, and Moonist Handicap. Bednar was aboard for all three of those performances.
Bednar has made most of his career starts on Thoroughbreds: 2,548, to be precise. However, he’s had more success riding Quarter Horses. Counting He Looks Hot, Bednar has ridden four Quarter Horse mounts with a six-figure bankroll. By contrast, none of his Thoroughbred mounts reached the $100,000 milestone.
Now, let’s get to know more about this jockey in the latest installment of our Backside feature.
WHAT LED TO YOU BECOMING A JOCKEY?
“In 2010 I was working at a Christmas tree lot in Arcadia, and the owner of the tree lot happened to own racehorses. He said I should try and become a jockey because I was essentially short but strong. I then delivered a tree to Eddie Delahoussaye and he was a wonderful guy who gave me some great advice and told me to go for it. Shortly after, I started riding with Jeff Metz in an arena in San Dimas. He taught me how
to post, ride, and gallop. From there, I went to Frank Garza’s jockey school.
ACCORDING TO EQUIBASE, YOU HAVE SPENT THE MAJORITY OF YOUR CAREER RIDING THOROUGHBREDS. ASIDE FROM THE DISTANCE OF THE RACES, ARE THERE ANY DIFFERENCES OR UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT RIDING QUARTER HORSES
POSE AS OPPOSED TO RIDING THOROUGHBREDS?
“Quarter Horses are much faster—everything happens much quicker. The key, for me, is
to get them set inside of the starting gate. By that, I mean keeping them calm and making sure they are standing straight.”
WHAT’S A TYPICAL RACE DAY LIKE FOR YOU? ANY SPECIAL ROUTINES?
“Not at all, I try to be as normal as any other day. I do try to watch what I eat a little more than usual.”
YOU SUFFERED SOME SIGNIFICANT NECK AND BACK INJURIES IN 2018. WAS THAT THE WORST INJURY YOU’VE SUSTAINED AS A JOCKEY? AND WHAT’S YOUR SECRET TO MANAGING THE PHYSICAL TOLL OF YOUR JOB? “In 2018 I did in fact fracture my C7 and T7 [vertebrae in my] spine, which was
the worst injury that I have sustained as ajockey.Istayfittobeatthebestofmy ability and also have included acupuncture into my routine. After my injury in 2018, I truly believe that acupuncture and cupping helped heal me far more quickly than doctors initially thought.”
AND FINALLY, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE LOOKING TO START OUT AS A JOCKEY TODAY?
“Ask as many questions as you can from the top riders at the tracks you go to. I know I always did this, and the jockeys were always more than willing to help me out.”
Vinnie and World Champion He Looks Hot after winning the 2019 Champion of Champions-G1 at Los Alamitos.
“I love that horse [He Looks Hot].
He and I had a really special bond. From the get-go we just clicked.”
100 SPEEDHORSE August 2020