Peruvian Juan Enriquez Wins First U.S. Race

Jockey Juan E. Enriquez won his first race in the United States Sept. 21, guiding Divine Ambition home by eight lengths in the ninth race at Turfway Park, a six-furlong maiden special that was the colt’s debut (VIDEO).

A native of Lima, Peru, 18-year-old Enriquez is following in the footsteps of his father, veteran rider Juan C. Enriquez. Two uncles in Peru also ride.

The younger Enriquez graduated from the jockey school at Hipódromo de Monterrico in Lima in May 2011. After counting 170 wins in Peru, he arrived in the United States 10 days before his Turfway victory. The mount on Divine Ambition was his eighth in the U.S. and his second at Turfway. He rode briefly at Monmouth Park before moving his tack to Northern Kentucky.

Divine Ambition broke from post 6 and tracked the leader briefly, angled out to take over before the half-mile mark, and finished the sprint in 1:11.59 over Polytrack. The colt is owned by Kay Reed and Timothy Wright and trained by Eric Reed.