Page 98 - April 2016

“First, be faithful to God, then to family, then to your career, and finally, to life itself.”
David Alvarez
by Janet VanBebber
If ever you’re headed down the wrong road, the smart- est thing to do is turn around. Such was the case for leading jockey David Alvarez. The Veracruz, Mexico
native will tell you that the journey towards being a top ranked rider has not been without some detours, mostly the result of his own bad choices. However, by learning from his mistakes and focusing on his faith, this family man is a true success story.
David is one of three brothers who came to the United States to pursue a career in the irons. Hoping to learn their skill, the younger Alvarez followed older siblings Carlos and Jose to Texas when he was merely twelve years old. He worked with his brothers, and four years later rode his first race at a bush track. Not many start a career path at the tender age of sixteen.
The teenage jockey spent the next several years fine-tuning his skills by riding match races and gal- loping horses at farms. In 2006, David came to the racetrack and first tasted victory at Sam Houston Race Park. However, hopes of a successful career were not immediately realized. Before he could experi- ence growth in his career, the younger Alvarez had to learn some important life lessons. In his own words, he “was not living right, and made bad decisions.” After facing some challenging times, David chose to give his life to the Lord. The determined rider turned things around and headed in the right direction. He found that when living right, he was afforded better opportunities. David began working with successful trainers such as Bobby Touchet, Bobby Martinez, and Martin Trejo and the wins started stacking up.
Choosing the right path helped lead Alvarez into the winner’s circle with increased frequency. His most notable win was aboard 2015 Champion Aged Stallion Open Me A Corona when the colt won the 2012 Louisiana Breeders’ Futurity. That prestigious event boasts a gross purse of $1,000,000. However, David is quick to credit a less lucrative stakes victory as one of his most special memories. Not long after choosing a better lifestyle, Bobby Touchet legged David up in the 2010 Colors of Houston Paint and Appaloosa Futurity at Sam Houston Race Park. The mount was supposed to go to his brother, Jose, and was a long shot. As he approached the starting gates, David recalls, “I truly felt the power of God and knew I had made the right choice (in my life)...I had total faith. I won the Futurity. Since then, I’ve been riding for the best: GOD!”
David’s personal growth had such a positive impact on his career, the victories soon led to leading rider titles. While in Texas, he was at the top of the jockey standings during meets at Gillespie County
Fair, Sam Houston Race Park, and the final meet at Manor Downs. In 2011, he began focusing on race meets in the Pelican State. Since the transition to Cajun country, David has enjoyed being the leading rider at three of Louisiana’s four tracks: Louisiana Downs, Fair Grounds, and Evangeline Downs. He has twice been named AQHA’s High Point Jockey for the Texas Region and once for the Eastern Region. David closed 2015 being nationally ranked second
in races won, with 137 win pictures taken, seven of which were stakes. The final accounting tallied his mount’s earnings at just under $2 million for the year.
If you ever happen to be at one of those tracks while the leaders are being recognized, watching David with his family is sure to make you smile. David met his wife Wendy in San Antonio. They have been married twelve years. With a twinkle in
his eye, David recalls, “I took her on our first date to McDonald’s and never took her home!” They now have a son, David, who is ten years old, and daughters Emily, seven, and Ashley, two. A proud father, David is always flanked by his loved ones in ceremonies marking his success.
When asked what his goals are, David reports that he is very content with his career. “I am letting God choose my path.” He continues, “Personally, my goal is to see my kids grow, put them on the right path, and make good choices. As a husband, I am very blessed with the woman God has chosen for me. I want to be a good husband to her. In my faith, I want people to see how He has changed me personally and see what He has done in my life. Without God and my faith, I would not be where I am today.”
A Jockey’s VIew
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SPEEDHORSE, April 2016
THE BACKSIDE