NEWS
Jockey James Lopez earns 1,000th career win
Posted: Friday, March 12, 2010 11:24 AM
Jockey James Lopez secured his 1,000th career win on Thursday when three-year-old filly Dance Hall Darlin held on by a neck to capture the ninth race at Turfway Park.
Dance Hall Darlin, by Cryptoclearance, won the one-mile maiden claiming race in 1:45.29 on the synthetic Polytrack surface. It was the second career start for the filly.
Lopez, a 32-year-old third-generation jockey, dropped out of school to become a jockey at age 16 and rode his first winner in 1996 at Retama Park. The San Antonio, Texas, native’s career took a detour in March 2005 when he broke his collarbone after a horse fell on him leaving the gate.
After the injury, Lopez took about two years off from riding. He worked on oil rigs, laid ceramic tile, and earned his high school equivalency degree.
Lopez returned to the track in 2007. He won five stakes races in 2008 and the following year captured the $225,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes (G3) aboard General Quarters. He has won 47 stakes races in his career, including four Grade 3 races.
