JC / Railbird

Jockeys

Watch this Kid

Rising rider William Buick made quite an impression over the weekend:

In the Foy it was the jockey who caught the eye as much as his mount. When a sportsman’s eye is in, it’s in, and young William Buick and his boss John Gosden, triumphant in the St Leger at Doncaster on Saturday with Arctic Cosmos, rounded off a dream weekend by taking the older horse prep with Duncan, the outsider in a field of six.

Buick, 22, is one of the weighing room’s outstanding emerging talents and for the second day in succession showed all the qualities that prompted Gosden to fast-track him to the big time. On Arctic Cosmos, he had ridden a finely-judged race from off a demanding pace to notch his first Classic; yesterday he controlled the game for most of the way.

Buick insists he’s not the new Frankie Dettori, but:

With good looks, youth and talent on his side, Buick’s rise has gathered momentum. Twelve months ago he landed a valuable but relatively insignificant sales race at Doncaster. Now he has five Group Ones and the prospect of two tasty mounts on the massive Breeders’ Cup stage in November with Arctic Cosmos (Turf) and Debussy (Classic).

He’s going to be a star at Churchill Downs during Breeders’ Cup week.

Posted in Racing on September 13, 2010 / Tagged Breeders' Cup, International, Jockeys, Rising Stars, William Buick

Every Winner’s Circle a Stage

Frankie Dettori, “the housewives’ favourite jockey,” on his most famous move:

“Everyone associates me with the dismount,” admits Dettori, who perfected it with seven winners in one famous Saturday at Ascot in 1993. “I’m the slave to my own act now. I do it because children on school holidays, perhaps having a day out at Lingfield, expect me to. It’s part of the thing I’ve created. I can’t get out of it.”

Flashback to 2008: About that award-winning Dettori dismount photo.

On the subject of ebullient jockeys: John Scheinman profiles Calvin Borel on BC360. “At Churchill, trainers stand in line like I’m selling ice cream,” says agent Jerry Hissam of his client. “At Saratoga …”

Posted in Racing on September 9, 2010 / Tagged Breeders' Cup, Calvin Borel, Frankie Dettori, International, Jockeys, Media

Plucky Mrs. Bagwill

In advance of a possible piece on the Lady Legends race, in which eight retired female jockeys will ride in the fourth race at Pimlico on Friday to benefit the Komen Foundation, I’ve been doing a bit of research on women jockeys in American racing. With the library packed up in preparation for a move, making it difficult to get to “The Lady Is a Jock” and other sources, I’m relying on what I can find through Google, the New York Times, and the DRF Archive at Keeneland, which yielded an interesting tidbit about an early “jockette.”

In January, I came across Miss Milfred, a young woman looking for work as a jockey in 1892 Chicago. Nothing more has turned up on Frances Milfred, but in 1898, there appears a Mrs. Bagwill. Notes the DRF of October 4:

Probably the only female jockey in the world is riding in running races on the Pacific Coast circuit. She is a Mrs. Bagwill, twenty-four years old, weight 101 pounds, and resides at Carson City, Nev. At the recent Nevada State Fair she won two of her five mounts. Mrs. Bagwill wears the regulation jockey costumes in races and rides astride.

The October 9, 1898 Kansas City Journal fills in a few more details, although, not her first name:

Six horses, straining every nerve and splendidly ridden by some of the best jockeys of this country, raced swiftly around the track at Reno, Nev., at the last meeting, and came down the stretch in magnificent style. Of the three horses first under the wire the last was ridden by a woman who, sitting astride, plied whip and spur in masterly style, and clearly outrode her competitors.

The woman was Mrs. Bagwill, a native of Nevada, who is probably the only female jockey in the world.

Her experience as a jockey has not been very extensive, but of the five races in which she has ridden twice has her horse come in a winner, and never has she ridden “outside” the money.

Mrs. Bagwill’s first attempt was at Carson City, when she rode third to Coates, sometimes known as “Pizen,” and Feathergill.

Mrs. Bagwill is 24 years of age and has been married for five years. She is of medium stature, petite in figure, but well proportioned and weighs 101 pounds. She is very modest and unassuming. When on the street, she dresses in plain black and from her appearance none would imagine that she ever assumed the part of a jockey.

She had an ambition to assist her husband, and being a good rider, decided that she could be more successful as a jockey than at anything else. In the saddle when ready for a race she wears bifurcated skirts, but fitting neatly.

And with that, Mrs. Bagwill, like Miss Milfred, recedes from history.

Posted in Miscellany on May 11, 2010 / Tagged Jockeys, Mrs. Bagwill, Pluck, Racing History, Research, Women in Racing

Rachel Alexandra Works with New Rider

Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra breezed four furlongs at Churchill Downs this morning, her first work since finishing second to Unrivaled Belle in the LaTroienne Stakes on the Kentucky Oaks undercard. Daily Racing Form gives the filly a flat time of :52 for the move, while Churchill (which sent out the Reed Palmer photo above) reports she went in :50, with splits of :13, :25.60 and :38.60, and galloped out five furlongs in 1:05.60. The time discrepancy isn’t all that’s interesting about Rachel Alexandra’s workout — there was also a notable change of rider, with jockey Shaun Bridgmohan up today in place of Dominic Terry, the filly’s regular exercise rider since she moved into Steve Asmussen’s barn following the 2009 Kentucky Oaks. “It was an easy first work back,” said the trainer, saying nothing, as is his way. “It’s nice cool morning and everything is ideal today. It’s another step in the process.” Re: Terry, via the Rachel Alexandra group on Facebook, comes this unfortunate notice:

5/18/10 Update: Rachel Alexandra worked five furlongs in 1:04.20 over the sloppy Churchill surface on Monday, May 17, again with Bridgmohan up. Reports the Daily Racing Form, regarding the rider change, “Terry recently went to work for Dallas Stewart.”

9/13/10 Update: Dominic Terry was back aboard Rachel Alexandra for a workout over the Oklahoma training track this morning. The filly, in her first work since finishing second to Persistently in the Personal Ensign at Saratoga on August 29, breezed five furlongs in 1:00.65, the fastest of six at the distance, and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.80.

Posted in Racing on May 10, 2010 / Tagged Churchill Downs, Dominic Terry, Jockeys, Rachel Alexandra, Shaun Bridgmohan, Workouts