Guidry Postpones Retirement Until Stewards' School

One day before the end of Churchill’s spring meet, jockey Mark Guidry said he would ride throughout the summer and fall months instead of hanging up his tack Aug. 15 as originally planned. Guidry, who will ride at Arlington Park this summer, said his plans revolve around the schedule of the Racing Officials Accreditation Program, which will hold classes in Louisville Nov. 7-14.

“I didn’t want to sit around four months and do nothing,” Guidry said. “This way, I’ll ride at Arlington and Keeneland and ride at Churchill, and just miss about a week of the fall meet here. I’ve got a couple good horses lined up – I know there’ll always be something good (to ride), but this way I’ll be busy until November.”

Guidry said he would still consider offers from tracks for a stewards’ position.

“I’ll take a look, anyone can call me,” he said.

Guidry has won more than 5,000 career races, ranking among the top 30 riders of all time. In 2006, the same year he rode Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Lemons Forever, he received the George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award from his fellow riders. In addition to Lemons Forever, Guidry has also ridden top horses such as Black Tie Affair, Riskaverse, Roses in May, Buzzards Bay, and Sand Springs.