Jockey Gary Richards started riding in the U.S. back in 1990. Over the next two-plus decades, while also riding extensively in his native Jamaica where he was champion apprentice in 1981, he had ridden a grand total of 50 winners stateside.
Then on Friday at Belmont Park, nearly three years after last reaching a domestic winner’s circle, the 58-year-old reinsman added U.S. win No. 51 when booting home More Mango to a 25-1 upset for trainer James Ferraro.
“I’ve been winning races my whole life. I was a champion jockey back home and in 2018 I won the Governor’s Cup,” Richards told Horse Racing Nation Friday from the Belmont Park jockey’s room. “But the difference here is nobody really knows me. And I have no agent.”
Richards had his biggest years in 1999 at Finger Lakes and 2003 at Charles Town when he combined for 40 wins from more than 600 mounts. He now serves as an exercise rider in the mornings on the New York circuit for a variety of trainers and will occasionally get a call to race ride.
“I have a family to take care of and I don’t get a lot of mounts. So I get on them in the mornings for a paycheck and then ride in the afternoon when I can,” Richards noted.
In Friday's fifth race, a $40,000 maiden-claimer going 1 1/16 miles on turf, Richards put More Mango in a tracking position about three lengths off the pace while saving ground throughout. The pair then kicked into gear in the stretch, split horses inside the sixteenth pole and reeled in pacesetter Rigby to win by three-quarters of a length.
Richards and More Mango rewarded their backers with a $52 win mutuel while also helping to trigger a two-day Pick 6 carryover for Saturday's card at Belmont Park.
Richards also rode Friday’s nightcap in a rare two-mount day. He finished ninth of 11 aboard 60-1 long shot Druid for trainer Gabriel Goodwin.
“I would love to ride more because that’s what I have done my entire life,” Richards said. “I have no agent, that makes it tougher. I’m just very thankful whenever I do get the chance.”
