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THE BACKSIDE
“That’s all I ever wanted, was to ride.”
What’s an average race day like for you?
“I go to gallop. I try to go home Sundays after the races, stay home Monday and Tuesday.
I spend some time with my kids, my family. Then I come out to the track and gallop, watch what I eat, little bit of exercise, wait for the weekend, and start racing.”
What’s it been like racing during COVID-19?
“A little nervous actually. A little worried because if I were to get sick, I think I could handle it. I don’t want to take that sickness with me home, for my little kids and also because in Ruidoso this year, they told us, if anybody comes out positive, they’re going to shut us down. That was kind of worrying. If they were to shut down right now at Lone Star ... we don’t have another job but the racetrack. It worries me, but what can I say? Follow the protocols and try to tell everybody, ‘You’ve got to pay attention to what they’re telling us to do. We can’t race if they’re shut down.’”
You talked about your children possibly following in your footsteps. What do you think needs to happen to keep the sport viable for years to come, to where they can have that option if they want to?
“I hope that the tracks, this industry, keeps running like this. I know everybody’s struggling, especially Quarter Horses. I just hope that we are still running like we are right now, so if they want to follow in my footsteps they could.”
Your favorite horse
and why?
“I’ve been on a bunch of good horses. I would say Pivotal Decision. Even though I only won the Retama Park Derby on him, he was a really, really nice horse—a pretty smart horse [and] easy to ride. Anybody could get along with that horse.”
Are there any changes you’d want to see made?
“Not really. Raul, my little boy, he loves horses. He always has the whip in his hands, the helmet and goggles on, always has a saddle with him. If he decides to ride and
be a jockey like me, I hope he would have a lot of options as to where to go. I rode in California, Arizona, Minnesota, Texas, Louisiana. I rode a bunch of places and I would like for my son to have those kinds of options.”
What future goals do
you have?
“I would love to win another AQHA title.
I’m 38 right now. I see myself riding for 11,
12 more years. I just want to stay healthy and keep going. Keep riding and try to do as much as I can so I can help my kids, open more doors for them if they decide to follow in my footsteps. I would like to win all the Grade 1’s in Ruidoso. I need the Rainbow Futurity and the Rainbow Derby, then the All American Derby and the Gold Cup. I know I’m asking for a lot, but if I keep going over there [to New Mexico] every summer, I think I have a good 10 years to ride.”
Raul aboard Cajun On Star after winning the MardiGrasFuturity.
Blue Corazon’s winning connections after Raul rode the gelding to victory in the Ruidoso Futurity.
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Speedhorse Photo Photo by Natalie Glyshaw Hodges