Chuck Lopez won his 3,000th career race aboard Sunnyridge Sam at Aqueduct Thursday.
Chuck Lopez, affectionately known in the jocks room as "C.C.," rode the 3,000th winner of his career Jan. 22. Lopez guided Sunnyridge Sam up the inside to easily capture the seventh race at Aqueduct in New York."I can't tell you what it means to me to win my 3,000th and to do it here at Aqueduct," the 43-year old Lopez said. "I consider Aqueduct to be my home away from home. They are very gracious hosts."Lopez' milestone ride did not come off without some trepidation. On the far turn, as Lopez was trying to move through along the rail, Sunnyridge Sam shied away from Laird Angus and Lopez' boot scraped the rail. But Lopez managed to squeeze through and had things all his way from there.Lopez, who rides summers at Monmouth Park and is in his ninth winter riding at Aqueduct, has set what he calls a conservative goal of riding long enough to win 4,000 races."I hope I can continue to ride at this level," he said.Two years ago, Lopez gained some national recognition as the regular rider of Arromanches, a gray mid-level claiming horse who achieved notoriety when he authored a 10-race win streak at Monmouth and Aqueduct.
