Jockey De La Cruz Records 2,000th Career Victory

Fernando De La Cruz achieved a milestone 2,000th win in the second race Aug. 18 at Indiana Grand when he guided Ike and Dawn Thrash's Katie's Day to victory for trainer Brad Cox. 

After getting the lead early in the five-furlong sprint, De La Cruz was able to fend off Rock Out and Alex Achard in a stretch duel for the one-half length win in the maiden $16,000 claiming race. She returned $3.20 as the favorite.

"The other horse (Rock Out) came at us, but she came back," said De La Cruz. "She switched leads and then she came back strong for the win."

De La Cruz was greeted by his wife, Rosa, son, Brian, and daughter, Norma, in the winner's circle following the victory. Eric Halstrom, vice president and general manager of racing, made the winner's circle presentation to De La Cruz for his milestone.

"It's very exciting," added De La Cruz. "I want to say thank you to trainer Brad Cox and the owners for this opportunity and all the other trainers for supporting me. Because of them, I was able to do this. Thanks to my family, too. I was really happy to have my wife, my son and my daughter here for this."

De La Cruz is a two-time leading rider at Indiana Grand. He arrived in the Hoosier State in 2007, finishing fourth in the standings during his inaugural season in the United States. After several years of finishing second in the standings, he earned his first riding title at Indiana Grand in 2014 followed by a chart-topping finish in 2016. De La Cruz has been among the track's top five riders during the past 12 years. He is ranked second this meet behind DeShawn Parker. He and Parker as the only local jockeys with more than $1 million in purse earnings already this season.

De La Cruz holds the record for most purse earnings in the 18-year history of racing at Indiana Grand, with his mounts making a cumulative $21 million, according to track publicity. He is the track's second all-time leading rider with more than 1,000 local wins, including a record 32 stakes.

In addition to his success at Indiana Grand, De La Cruz has a riding title from the final year of Thoroughbred racing at Hoosier Park in 2012.

He notched his biggest victories with back-to-back scores in the Woodford Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland aboard Ironhorse Racing Stable's Bucchero  in 2017-18. The Indiana-bred, trained by Tim Glyshaw, would later provide him with two unplaced rides those same years in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T).

Bucchero now stands a $5,000 fee at Pleasant Acres Stallions in Florida.