Note: This article was first published in The Paulick Report
Jockey Rajiv Maragh rode the 2000th winner of his career Friday, Dec. 5, at Gulfstream Park, guiding Lazio ($5) to a hard-fought victory in Race 3.
“This feels pretty surreal when you think about the whole journey since 2000,” said Maragh following a winner’s circle celebration with family and friends. “I’ve come a real long way. I’ve come from humble beginnings and to be able to achieve this milestone is pretty incredible. I’ve got to be really thankful for all the support I’ve had. You don’t win 2000 by yourself. There are a lot of people behind the scenes.”
Maragh stepped away from riding in January 2022 to devote all of his time to starting and building Road Jockey, a food delivery service, in Jamaica. He resumed riding at Gulfstream on Oct. 29, 2024 with a goal to reach the 2000-win milestone.
“This is a career milestone that I’ve really looked forward to as a short-term goal of mine,” he said. “To accomplish it, it’s actually motivating. It creates the possibility that anything’s possible, doing this at the highest level – Gulfstream’s Championship Meet.”
The 40-year-old veteran rider stalked the pace aboard Lazio before taking the lead at the top of the stretch and holding off a late charge by New York New York to prevail by a neck in Race 3, a 5 ½-furlong claiming race on Tapeta for 3-year-olds and up.
Maragh has won 25 Grade 1 stakes, including Main Sequence’s 2014 triumphs in the United Nations, Sword Dancer and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic during the Graham Motion trainee’s Eclipse Award-winning season. He rode Main Sequence to victory in the 2015 Mac Diarmida (G2) at Gulfstream.
Maragh recorded his first career win at Tampa Bay Downs Feb. 1, 2004 aboard Pricedale Kid, who captured a seven-furlong $7500 claiming race by 6 ¾ lengths.
