Jockey Goncalves Reaches 2,000 Wins

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Jockey Goncalves Reaches 2,000 Wins
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Photo: Coady Photography
Leandro Goncalves celebrates his 2,000th win in the Sam Houston Race Park winner's circle

Multiple graded stakes-winning jockey Leandro Goncalves celebrated his 2,000th victory March 27 as he guided Russell Welch's Gurkha Gold first across the finish line in the fifth race at Sam Houston Race Park.

Goncalves stalked the pace in fourth aboard the Karl Broberg-trained daughter of The Gurkha, who made her second start in the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies on turf. Gurkha Gold was back in seventh with three-sixteenths to go, then rallied four wide for a 1 1/2-length victory in a time of 1:45.26.

"It was my dream always when I was a kid to come to the United States and I have everything," said Goncalves, a native of Brazil, in a video posted by Sam Houston on Twitter. "My life is here now and this means a lot to me to get my 2,000th win in the United States."

Goncalves won his first U.S. race in 2007 and his mounts have earned $44,194,332 from 12,844 starts through Saturday. In Sam Houston's ninth race Saturday, he added his 2,001st win aboard Dixie Wayne.

His top mounts include Super Derby (G2) winner Bourbon Courage , Hagyard Fayette Stakes (G2) winner Nikki's Sandcastle, Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) winner Satans Quick Chick, Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix Stakes (G3) winner Sum of the Parts, and Matt Winn Stakes (G3) winner Neck 'n Neck.

"I just want to thank everyone for all the winners and all the support and my really true friends and my wife," Goncalves said. "When you have the bad times they are there to support you and help you pick yourself back up and just wake up the next morning and just go do it over again."