Pincay Chalks Up 9,500th Win

• Email
• Print
• Tweet

Laffit Pincay Jr. reached another milestone in his remarkable riding career Wednesday, guiding Saxony to a one-length victory in the fifth race at Santa Anita – the Hall of Fame rider's 9,500th trip to the winners' circle.

Pincay, who celebrated his 56th birthday on Dec. 29, had gone winless in 15 rides since capturing the first race Saturday on Total Limit, including his first two Wednesday. He finished a close second in the second race with Jaciro.

An hour after winning with Saxony, Pincay started working toward another milestone, winning the featured $65,000 turf allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs with 35-1 longshot Brocky's Dream.

"I've been trying to win a race every day for the last two weeks," Pincay said after victory No. 9,500, "and it seems like I've had a lot of seconds. But today I finally got it."

Pincay has been racing's winningest rider since Dec. 10, 1999, when he won his 8,834th race, surpassing Bill Shoemaker's record of 8,833. Pincay's 9.000th victory came with Chichim in the California Cup Juvenile at Santa Anita on Oct. 26, 2000.

Saxony's victory came in a 7-furlong starter allowance contested for $30,200. The 9-2 third betting choice in the field of eight Wednesday, Getaway Farms' Saxony ran seven furlongs in 1:24.22 and paid $11, $5 and $2.80.

In the feature, Brocky's Dream, an Australian-bred 5-year-old mare trained by Lou Carno, beat Irish-bred Embassy Belle by a neck in the field of nine older fillies and mares.

The longest-priced horse in the field, Brocky's Dream returned $73.40, $26 and $10.40. Embassy Belle paid $12 and $7.80 and Brisquette, the 5-2 favorite who ran third, paid $4 to show.

"I'm feeling well now and I'm riding well now so I don't really see myself retiring any time soon," Pincay said. "As long as I'm doing well and enjoying it, I'm not going to retire."

(Chart, Equibase)

• Email
• Print
• Tweet