Page 14 - New Mexico Horse Breeder, Fall

The News
New Mexico Jockeys Visit Children’s Hospital
ALBUQUERQUE, NM (August 21, 2018) -- Eight jockeys currently competing at Albuquerque Downs, accompanied by track chaplain Donald Stover, visited the University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital in Albuquerque on Aug. 20.
The jockeys -- Porfirio Cano, Victor Escobar, Don French, Reyes Gomez, Gustavo Herrera, McKenzie King, Jansen Melancon, and Jorge Rocha -- visited with children in their rooms and distributed gifts, including signed goggles and winner’s circle photos, and posters of New Mexico native jockey Mike Smith winning the Belmont Stakes and the Triple Crown aboard Justify.
“This is something that we have been doing annually, and it’s part of our giving back to the community,” said Stover, who organizes the visits along with Albuquerque Downs’ president of racing Don Cook and assistant general manager Beth McKinney. “The jockeys enjoy visiting with the children, and the children and their parents enjoy it too.”
The University of New Mexico Children’s Hospital is the state’s only dedicated children’s hospital and academic medical center. Located in the Barbara & Bill Richardson Pavilion, the hospital cares for thousands of children from throughout the state and is New Mexico’s only Children’s Miracle Network hospital.
Bottom row, left to right, Reyes Gomez, Don French, Victor Escobar, and Gustavo Herrera; top row, left to right, chaplain Donald Stover, Porfirio Cano, Trey Miller, Mckenzie King, Jorge Rocha, and Jansen Melancon
Jockey J. Martin Bourdieu Returns from
Leg Injury
Jockey J. Martin Bourdieu has returned to the Albuquerque Downs jockey colony after his recovery from a broken femur he sustained in a spill at Turf Paradise in April.
Bourdieu earned his first win after the injury on Aug. 25, when he rode the Big Brown gelding Percy Fawcett to a one-length victory in a 7-furlong $20,300 allowance-optional claiming race at The Downs. Bourdieu was The Downs’ leading jockey (combined Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse) in 2017, as he rode the winners of 59 races from 284 mounts.
Since he began his career in North America in 1996, Bourdieu has won 2,229 races from 14,580 Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse mounts.
Bourdieu was one of four jockeys nominated for the 2018 Sam Thompson Memorial Award, which annually honors a rider whose life and character positively impacts the Quarter Horse racing industry, both on and off the track.
He plans to return to Turf Paradise after the Albuquerque meet ends on Sept. 23 and the 131-day Turf Paradise season opens on Oct. 13.
Jockey J. Martin Bourdieu
All American Futurity, Derby Shine International Spotlight on New Mexico
The eyes of the Quarter Horse racing world were on the mountains of southern New Mexico during Labor Day weekend, Sept.
2-3, as two of the sport’s richest and most prestigious races were contested at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack.
On Sept. 3, an on-track crowd announced at 13,218 watched as Bill T. Robbins’ Apocalyptical Jess scored a 3/4-length victory in the 440-yard
$3-million All American Futurity (G1) for 2 year olds, Quarter Horse racing’s richest and most prestigious race. Ridden by Raul Ramirez Jr. for trainer Blane Wood, Apocalyptical Jess covered his quarter-mile trip in :21.393 while aided by a reported 6-mph tail wind.
Wood’s father, the late Leo Wood, won the 1979 All American Futurity with Champion Pie In The Sky. Blane Wood’s victory makes
the Woods the only father-son training tandem to win the rich stakes.
“It’s more than I (could have) hoped for,”said a teary-eyed Wood in the winner’s circle. “We’ve been trying to do this for a long time. It’s the whole team.
“Everybody who works with us does such an incredible job,” the longtime horseman added. “Everybody.”
12 New Mexico Horse Breeder