Horse Racing Fantasy Community

Many people don’t know this about me, but I had a very unusual introduction to horse racing. In many cases, top jockeys who began riding at a young age come from a horse racing family, so in a sense, they are born and raised with the sport of horse racing in their blood. That actually wasn’t the case for me. Looking back, it’s actually pretty amazing that I was able to get started in the sport so early. I can remember even when I was three or four years old, I already knew that I wanted to ride racehorses. You know, when you’re a young child, everyone wants to be a policeman or fireman, but I never wanted to be anything other than a jockey. My first real introduction to the sport came when my grandparents used to take me to Santa Anita racetrack in the summertime. Well, Santa Anita racetrack has this great infield that includes a playground. So between horse races, my brother and I always loved to play on that playground, but the minute the horse racing started, I jumped out of line and headed straight for the fence. To this day, I can’t say exactly what it was that captivated me so much. All I know is that the sport of horse racing was so exciting to me and I absolutely loved it.

When I was six, my family moved to northern California, but I would still come down to my grandparents’ house during the summer. When I was twelve years old, my grandparents took me to the ranch of former horse racing jockey Rudy Campas, just for an afternoon. It was the first time I had ever sat on a horse that afternoon. Well, Rudy I talked that afternoon and he offered to teach me how to ride racehorses if I came down to stay with him the next summer. I did, but after that summer was over, I didn’t want to go back. So when I was 13, I asked my parents if I could stay and live with Rudy. They have always been so supportive of our dreams, so they agreed. It was crazy, because at 13, I was already doing a man’s work - working with the racehorses and learning how to be a horse racing jockey - but it didn’t feel like it because I loved it so much. I was going to the stables at 3:30 or 4 in the morning, cleaning the stalls of the racehorses, and sometimes going until seven o’clock at night. But it didn’t even seem like work. Eventually, when I was 16, I went to Tijuana by myself for three months to begin racing horses on the weekends. I did well and that was how I eventually ended up getting my US horse racing start at Santa Anita racetrack. To this day, I don’t know what made Rudy take a chance on me – he had never taught someone before and hasn’t since. But his interest in me not only helped me achieve my lifelong dream of being a horse racing jockey, it also gave me a family while I was away from my own home. If I could pass on one thing to you guys, it is that persistence and drive are key. If you want to be a winner – in the virtual horse racing game or in real life – it’s crucial to persevere. That is the way you can truly excel in the sport. So don't get discouraged. Keep on practicing in the computer horse racing game - if you put forth an effort, you will continue to improve. Like I said earlier - in real life horse racing or in the downloaded horse racing game - practice and perseverance are key.