Steiner Wins No. 1,000 on First Emerald Mount

Jockey Joe Steiner rode his 1,000th career winner April 19 at Emerald Downs.



Steiner, 50, notched the milestone on his first mount since relocating from Southern California, riding 11-1 longshot Gold Boom to a 2 3/4-length victory in the second race, a 5 1/2-furlong wavier claiming event, for owner/trainer Arturo Arboleda.



"Honestly, I thought that my best chance was to get it on Boss Lori in the (third) race, but this horse pulled through for me," said Steiner, a Renton, Wash. native.



Arboleda also celebrated his 91st birthday Sunday. A former boxer, Arboleda and Don Munger are the track's two nonagenarian trainers this season.



Steiner, who learned the ropes under the tutelage of legendary Hall of Fame jockey Johnny Longden, began his riding career in 1981 and has won seven graded stakes in his career—including the Norfolk Stakes with Saratoga Passage in 1987 at Santa Anita Park, his lone grade I score.



While most of Steiner's wins have come in Southern California, he occasionally rides in his home state and was pleased his family could witness No. 1,000 Sunday.



"I've ridden at 52 tracks in my career," Steiner said. "I didn't think it was that many until I actually counted it. With family here, I couldn't have asked for a better way to get this win."



The Steiner family is a mainstay at Emerald Downs. Steiner's parents, Joe and Sally, operate the Quarter Chute Café in the stable area, and he plans to ride the 70-day meet at Emerald.



Gold Boom, like Steiner, was returning to Emerald Downs after stints up and down the coast. An 8-year-old Virginia-bred mare by Monarchos  , Gold Boom debuted at Emerald Downs with a second-place finish in 2011, and her 10 subsequent starts were at Golden Gate Fields, Pleasanton, Turf Paradise, and Portland Meadows.