David Cabrera, who has been sidelined since April 8 due to a riding accident, is back Oaklawn Park May 8 and was crowned champion.
Despite being inactive for a month, Cabrera claimed her first career Oaklawn riding title with 62 wins — one more than runner-up Francisco Arrieta — despite missing the final 13 days of racing through injury. love. Cabrera entered April 8 – Day 53 of the 66-day meeting – with a score of 62-49 against Arrieta. Eight-time Oaklawn Riding Champion Ricardo Santana is third with 47 wins.
Arrieta, who is seeking his first career Oaklawn riding title, took a 62-60 lead on Sunday, the final day of the 2021-2022 meeting. Arrieta pulled in the 62-61 lap after winning the fourth race on the decisive ($10.20) for coach Tom Van Berg. But Arrieta was undefeated with his last four mounts, prompting Cabrera to accept the title of lead driver from Oaklawn vice president of racing Jason Milligan in Larry Snyder Winner’s Circle after the 10th and final race. final race.
“Honestly, when that (accident) happened to me, we were doing really well,” Cabrera, 29, said minutes before Sunday’s final race. “But thank God, I think we’ll get a chance to do it again, so I’m grateful for that. I really don’t think (62) will hold out. I think it’s a shot. Even until this morning, I thought it was a long shot. But I’m happy. I’m very happy and that’s why I’m here, really.”
Cabrera, who has spent the past few weeks recuperating at his home in Jones, Okla., and aims to be back in the saddle by the end of May at Lone Star Park, sustained head, neck, and upper back injuries in a spill on April 8, which occurred during the first race when his mount, Mostly Awesome, slipped on the upper ramp and fell. Cabrera was naked and fell to the ground. He said he has no memory of the accident.
In addition to equalizing individual performance in Oaklawn in a single season for wins, Cabrera took first place in bet wins (four) and fourth in purse earnings ($3,375,263) at the draw. meeting. Cabrera’s victory on the ship R Superstar Rated in the Essex handicap on March 19 (G3) was the most profitable of the equestrian career to date. Cabrera also won three times (February 19, February 21 and March 31), another Oaklawn individual achievement.
Cabrera, in its local debut, overcame 43 winners to place second in the 2018 Oaklawn leaderboard behind Santana and 62 winners in 2021 to continue second behind Santana. Santana is 3rd this season with 58 wins. He didn’t ride for the last three days of the meeting after the transfer Churchill Downs.
“This is a dream,” Cabrera said. “This is a dream come true and I really thank my agent. He is a very, very good agent. For me, having him is something very good. He is a secret weapon. my secret.”
Hall of Fame coach Steve Asmussen won 65 races to earn his 12th Oaklawn coaching title. Asmussen shared the record for most career Oaklawn coaching titles with the late Henry Forrest of the Hall of Famer. Asmussen (820) is poised to overtake the late Bob Holthus (867) to become the most winning coach in Oaklawn history at the 2022-2023 meeting. Asmussen is currently second.
Jockey Chel-C Bailey leads all the apprentice drivers with 22 wins, good enough to take 10th place in the standings with veteran driver Martin Garcia. It was easily her best encounter in Oaklawn to date, having accrued $936,123 in earnings. She will ride this summer and fall at Indianapolis horseshoe.
Hot Springs’ John Ed Anthony topped all holders at the meeting for wins (19), pocket earnings ($2,083,402) and bet wins (five). Anthony sets a one-season Oaklawn record for pocket earnings. Mike and Mickala Sisk’s M and M Racing set the previous milestone ($1,782,351) in 2019. Anthony also overtook Sharon Hild late at the meeting to become Oaklawn’s all-time winning owner. Anthony had 279 career wins over Oaklawn, the first being on February 16, 1972.
