Jockey Joe Bravo scored the 4,000th victory of his career when he guided the Todd Pletcher-trained Alotofappeal to a one-length victory in the seventh race at Monmouth Park Wednesday, an allowance event.
The race before that, the 35-year-old Bravo won the Colts Neck Handicap aboard Joey P.
Bravo, a Long Branch, N.J., native who is heading for a 13th riding title at Monmouth, appropriately enough recorded the milestone 4,000th win aboard a horse trained by Pletcher, Monmouth’s leading conditioner. Alotofappeal, who went off the second choice and paid $7.80 to win, is owned by Double H Stable and Char-Mari Stable.
“I just want to thank all the agents I’ve had throughout the years and all the trainers and owners who put me on such great horses,” Bravo said. “I’m just thankful for it all.”
Bravo, known as "Jersey Joe," is a third generation jockey who recorded his first grade I win with Formal Gold in the 1997 Donn Handicap. Other top winners have included Valid Video in the 2003 King's Bishop (gr. I), Lion Heart in the 2004 Haskell Invitational (gr. I), India in the Cotillion Handicap (gr. II), Henny Hughes and Wynn Dot Comma. He won six races at Monmouth on Sept. 4, 2006.
In the $60,000 Colts Neck Handicap, John Petrini’s Joey P. charged into the lead heading into the far turn, and then held off all challengers to the wire, scoring by three-quarters of a length over Hey Chub.
It was the 10th career win for Joey P. at Monmouth, and gave Bravo the 3,999th victory of his career. Joey P., trained by Ben Perkins Jr., stepped the six furlongs in a lively 1:08 1/5 and paid $4.40, $2.60 and $2.10 across the board as the 6-5 favorite in the field of five New Jersey-breds.
(Chart, Equibase)
Joe Bravo holds up four fingers signifying his 4,000th career victory aboard Alotofappeal Wednesday at Monmouth Park.
