Emilio M. "Bimbo" Rodriquez

See all racing videos-Click horse

2006 Victories:

2007 Victories:

 --- Breaking News---:Rodriquez First USA Stakes Winner Royal Descent in the The Pearl Necklace Stakes

   

__________________________________________________________________________

Royal Descent Upsets Field in Pearl Necklace Stakes

BALTIMORE, 06-03-06---Dismissed by the Pimlico crowd at 24-1, M K Stable’s Royal Descent got up in the drive to win the $75,000 Pearl Necklace Stakes for 3-year-old Maryland-bred fillies on the yielding turf. The race remained on the grass this afternoon, although three other races were switched to the main track. Five fillies scratched out of the Pearl Necklace before post time, leaving a field of five. Brought home by jockey Emilio Rodriquez, Royal Descent ran down post time favorite Somethinaboutbetty in deep stretch to win by ¾ of a length in 1:49.89. 

Keep On Talking finished third. Pacesetter Christmas Stocking, the morning line favorite, was fourth. Royal Descent paid $50.60 and topped a $112.20 exacta and $655.20 triple. Her previous start on the turf was a winning one, too, at odds of 49-1. She broke her maiden over a yielding course on May 14th after 11 unsuccessful attempts on the dirt, which included just one in the money finish.

The victory was the first stakes win for Bowie-based trainer Mark Kohlheim. Kohlheim and his father, Edward, co-own and bred the winner. “Oh, you know this is a beautiful feeling,” said Kohlheim, who has just three career wins as a conditioner. “You never know if you have a stakes horse unless you try. This is my baby. I bred her and bought her mother.”

The daughter of Descent is the half-sister to former stakes winner Wise Deputy, who finished second in the 1997 Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (Grade I). Rodriquez said, “I didn’t expect this. I wanted to sit off the pace and let the front-runners burn themselves out and hope to get a piece of the action. It worked out better than I ever thought. This is a tremendous feeling.”

Somethingaboutbetty, who won two state-bred stakes races on the dirt in the last five months shipped down from New York for the powerful stable of Todd Pletcher. Pletcher runners have won six added money races at Pimlico during the spring meeting and his runners have finished in the money 11 times from 12 starters.

Bimbo' to ride at track on Saturday

NEW YORK-based Jamaican jockey Emilio 'Bimbo' Rodriquez is scheduled to ride at Caymanas Park on Saturday for the first time in just over six years.

The legendary horseman, who recently came out of retirement to ride at Aqueduct, booted home the 37-1 outsider, TOO TA ROO at the New York track on Friday, February 24, much to the delight of local simulcast fans who backed him down to 8-1 at CTL off-track betting parlours.

Trainer Gary Subratie, who was in New York at the time and was the guest of Rodriquez at Aqueduct, said the response from Jamaicans at the track was overwhelming.

COMING THURSDAY

Rodriquez, who, years ago in Florida encouraged a young Subratie to take out a trainers' license, is scheduled to arrive in Jamaica on Thursday to ride on Saturday before returning to his base in New York.

It is understood that Rodriquez has four mounts lined up on the card, including the Subratie-trained filly KEISHA BABY in the valuable Thornbird Stakes (Guineas Trial) over 1400 metres for native bred three-year-old fillies.

The Gleaner further under-stands that Rodriquez will return to Caymanas Park on April 1 to ride KEISHA BABY in the 1000 Guineas over 1600 metres.

In a telephone interview last week Rodriquez, who turned 50 in September of last year, explained his reason for coming out of retirement.

"I believe I still have more to contribute even at my age. I have seen jockeys over here ride well into their 50s and do well.

ONLY PROBLEM

"My only problem was to get back in shape and although the process was not easy, I committed myself to the task and it paid off recently with a winner at Aqueduct," said Rodriquez who last rode in Jamaica on December 27, 1999 (Boxing Day). His last winner in Jamaica was DR. ICE for trainer Jose Pinchin on the same card.

However, later in the afternoon aboard the howling favourite BLUMENTHAL he was beaten a short head by MENUDO (Robert Reid up) in the Harry Jackson Memorial over 2400 metres, the penultimate race on the card. His last ride was aboard the Pinchin-trained PROCEEDACCORDINGLY, who was unplaced.

'Bimbo' last visited Jamaica in early June, 2004 when he was among eight inductees to the 'Hall of Fame' of Thorougbred Racing, along with the highly acclaimed Florida-based Jamaican trainer Ralph Ziadie.

Rodriquez said then that he was planning to make a comeback and he realised his goal a month ago.

To date 'Bimbo' has ridden 1080 winners at Caymanas Park. Among his tally are 15 classic winners, three of these coming in the Jamaica Derby.

GREATEST FEAT

One of his greatest riding feats came aboard the Nigel Nunes-trained LUCKY OLE SUN in the 1979 Derby. The man, who is also popularly known as 'Chest', drove his mount ferociously to win the premier classic in a three-way photo-finish from ATTA BOY and LOVER BOY CES, a race still talked about with much passion whenever his name is mentioned.

Having ridden for the first time as an apprentice 36 years ago, Rodriquez has stamped himself as one of the most accomplished jockeys in the history of Caymanas Park.

Back to Home Page

 

 

  

 This site was last updated Monday, April 26, 2010 10:30:38 AM