Ouzts Passes McCarron to Become Sixth-Leading Jockey

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Sat, 10/10/2020 - 12:29
Link: 
Ouzts Passes McCarron to Become Sixth-Leading Jockey
Image: 
Description: 

Photo: Coady Photography
Belterra riders celebrate Perry Ouzts becoming the sixth-leading rider in North America

Perry Ouzts became the sixth-leading rider in North American racing history when he guided Wine Me Up Baby to a 3 1/4-length victory in the sixth race at Belterra Park Gaming & Entertainment Center Oct. 9. The win moved him past Hall of Famer Chris McCarron.

Wine Me Up Baby, a 2-year-old filly by Kantharos  owned by Sheltowee Farm and trained by Michael Evans II, went to the lead after a sharp break in a $21,000 maiden race and was never challenged.

Ouzts has won 7,142 races from 51,629 mounts. He trails Russell Baze (12,842), Laffit Pincay Jr. (9,530), Bill Shoemaker (8,833), Pat Day (8,803), and David Gall (7,396) on the wins list. Only Baze with 53,578 mounts has ridden more horses than Ouzts.

Reached Oct. 10 via telephone as Ouzts took a break from riding his custom Harley-Davidson motorcycle, the rider said Friday's accomplishment is special. 

"It's pretty high up there because I got hurt last year, back up in July. I was only like 66 wins from doing that, and I really wanted to get that," the jockey said. "I didn't know if I would be able to come back from that injury because it was a pretty severe injury. It was my rotator cuff, tore it pretty bad. It took a long time to heal. It was about 10 months before I got back to riding.

"I turned 66 years old this summer. Who would have thought you could get any mounts?"

Belterra played a video tribute on its infield jumbo television Friday, featuring McCarron and Day, both retired, Ouzts said. Other congratulations poured in, even from some surprising sources.

Ouzts received a video message on his cell phone from Cincinnati Reds baseball legend Pete Rose. Rose closely follows racing in the Ohio and Northern Kentucky region where the rider regularly competes. 

"Only five guys won more races than you. That's unbelievable," Rose said during the video. "I think I bet on you on half of those wins you got, either at Latonia, Turfway, Beulah Park, River Downs, Keeneland. You were all over the place, buddy. You're a great jockey."

Ouzts, a cousin of Hall of Fame jockey Earlie Fires, said he has no plans for retirement. He is a thrill-seeker who enjoys riding his motorcycle or taking his two-seater Mercedes convertible for a spin.

"I'm addicted to speed," he said.

Horse racing remains his passion, as it has been since he started riding at 18 in 1973 at defunct Beulah Park. He has earned about 30 riding titles in Ohio and became the subject of the documentary film "Ironman Perry Ouzts" that won the 2015 Media Eclipse Award for Television Feature. 

He is the leading active rider in North America, ahead of Hall of Famer Edgar Prado, who has 7,078.

"I get that same thrill every time, no matter if it's a cheap race or a big stake," he said. "I get the same thrill—every single time. I think that's what keeps me going."

Ouzts, an Arkansas native who resides in Hebron in Northern Kentucky, will ride sparingly at Keeneland this month after Belterra ended its meet Friday. He rides It's Summer in the first race at Keeneland Oct. 11 and Rocka Barry in the eighth race there Oct. 14.

"So I go down there and ride them. I don't mind it," he said. "Gives me something to do while I'm waiting for Turfway."

The Turfway Park winter/spring meet begins Dec. 3 following the fall race meet at Churchill Downs.