NEWS
Solis wins international jockey championship in Peru
Posted: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 4:06 PM
ALEX SOLIS
Benoit & Associates photo
by Michael Burns
With a perfectly executed ride aboard 10-to-1 longshot Moore’s Vision in the final race, U.S.-based jockey Alex Solis won the sixth annual Robalca International Jockeys Championship—Copa Caliente, an international jockey championship held on Tuesday at Peru’s flagship Thoroughbred racecourse Hipodromo de Monterrico in Lima.
Solis, a world-class rider originally from Panama who competed successfully in Southern California for more than 25 years before relocating to the East Coast in 2010, tallied two third-place finishes and one win with his last three mounts to win the challenge, which included some of the world’s all-time leading active jockeys by earnings.
Solis finished eighth aboard Conglomerado in the first race of the competition, but then finished third with his next two mounts, Pampa Galeras and Simeone, respectively, before guiding U.S.-bred Moore’s Vision, by Pollard’s Vision, to victory in the finale to finish with 16 points.
U.S. Racing Hall of Famer and 2006 Eclipse Award-winning rider Edgar Prado, who finished in a tie for the title in last year’s competition, finished the 2012 competition in a deadlock for second with countryman and Aqueduct-based rider Alan Garcia with 14 points each.
Edwin Talaverano finished fourth overall with ten points, followed by Fair Grounds-based rider Miguel Mena (5), local stars Carlos Trujillo and Victor Fernandez (4), and top Southern California circuit rider Rafael Bejarano (3). Former champion and Racing Hall of Famer member Kent Desormeaux, Gulfstream Park leading jockey Javier Castellano, and Belmont Stakes (G1)-winning rider Jose Valdivia Jr., earned two points each. Preakness Stakes (G1)-winning jockey Jesus Castanon and Florida-based rider Manoel Cruz did not register a point.
Prado, Garcia, Talaverano, and Solis rode one winner each.
“I’m very grateful to the people of Peru for their warm reception,” said Solis, who earned $10,000 for the victory in his first visit to Peru. “I was very impressed by the organization and I am flattered to be next to this class of riders."
Riding assignments for the championship were drawn at random on January 18. Jockeys were awarded points on a 10-4-3-2 system, for finishing first, second, third, or fourth. The championship races contested on dirt and turf at various distances were carded as the third, fifth, seventh, and ninth races on the afternoon’s ten-race card.
Between races, Peruvian-born and Southern California-based trainer Julio Canani was honored by track officials in recognition for his achievements in North American racing.
Michael Burns is a Thoroughbred Times South American correspondent
READER COMMENTS
|
|
|
Posted by: Kathy, San Diego, CA on January 26, 2012 at 05:19 PM
Bravo Alex Solis! We miss you in SoCal!
Report Abuse 
|
|
|
|
|
|
