Page 102 - March 2016

“. . . teach them to always have faith in God, in the good times and in the hard times . . . I’ve had my share of both in this sport!”
Alfonso Lujan, 2000 wins
by Janet VanBebber
It is said, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.” In the horse racing world, this proverb holds especially true for jockeys. The most successful rid-
ers that stand the test of time are often accompanied by the strongest work ethic. Last month, Speedhorse featured a story on veteran jockey Gilbert Ortiz reaching the milestone of 3000 wins. This month we mark the milestone of another rider, Alfonso Lujan, who recently won his 2000th race.
Alfonso’s roots are in the Lone Star State. Born in Pecos, Texas, the 38 year old was raised in Andrews and other areas of west Texas. It’s no secret that good horsemen must first be exposed to opportunity to learn. The aspiring jockey had ample opportunity to develop a love of horses in this region, as it is dense with both breeding and racing interests. (Note that Andrews, Texas, is a suburb of Midland/Odessa, which is just across the state line from where Zia Park would later be developed.) Alfonso’s dad, Jose, trained racehorses locally, and Alfonso says he learned every- thing from him. Once the teenager was in junior high, he chose to focus on horses in lieu of sports at school. He began helping his father at the barn and soaking up all he could about applying good horse- manship to racing. It was not long before the younger Lujan was allowed to ride in match races, first for his father, then for others. His talents quickly recognized, Alfonso followed by competing in parimutuel races, and his first recognized win came at the Gillespie County Fair in June of 1996.
Since that first official win picture nearly 20
years ago, there has been a lot of time spent at vari- ous racing ovals galloping horses. It’s taken extreme dedication to his craft to accumulate 2000 wins. When asked what has helped him evolve to this point in his career, Alfonso is quick to respond, “Lots of hard work, and never giving up.” He is thankful for all the owners and trainers that have given him the opportunity to ride for them and credits moving
his tack to Louisiana as the biggest turning point in his career. Once there, Alfonso developed ties with larger stables such as Danny Joe Eldridge, my own VanBebber Racing Stables, and other top horsemen. I worked with Alfonso for several years and can tell you that paired with his work ethic, is the valuable feedback he offers after galloping a horse. I always found his information regarding a horse’s demeanor and soundness to be an asset in our endeavor to reach that horse’s potential.
Alfonso’s coupling with successful trainers eventually led to the big wins. Among his favor- ite triumphs was that aboard Easy Winning Jet,
not only because it was his first Futurity, but also because his brother took care of the colt. This win came in 2000 for the TQHA Sires Cup Futurity at Sam Houston Race Park. He was delighted to have
a stakes win under his belt, and it was the first of many more. Since then, Alfonso has been victorious on mounts in 102 stakes. The most lucrative of these black type wins came aboard Vals Warrior in the 2007 Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Futurity. Total purse for that race was $420,636.
Throughout his career, Alfonso has been honored to ride some really nice horses. When asked to name his favorites, Alfonso named Snowy Alibi, Senor Seabolt, Vals Warrior, Dealagame and Acorn. I must admit, they are some of my recent favorites, too!
Alfonso’s success has not just been reflected in accumulating stakes wins, but also in Jockey Titles. While still in Texas, Alfonso was leading rider once
at Manor Downs. After crossing the Sabine River to compete in Louisiana, he became a regular in closing meet ceremonies. He has been named leading rider multiple times, including seven consecutive titles at Evangeline Downs. In addition to meet honors in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010, he led the nation in wins, having made more trips to the Winner’s Circle than any of his peers from coast to coast. Alfonso
has also been named AQHA East Regional Leading Rider. While working towards his current achieve- ment of 2000 lifetime wins, his mounts have accumu- lated over $26,000,000 in earnings.
A Jockey’s VIew
100
SPEEDHORSE, March 2016
THE BACKSIDE