Albin Jimenez Rides 1,000th Winner

Jockey Albin Jimenez reached the 1,000-win milestone Feb. 25, after Ice Wine Stable's Zarman led gate to wire in the fourth race at Turfway Park and drew off to break his maiden by a decisive 5 1/4 lengths .

"It's very exciting," the 25-year-old rider said. "I want to thank God first, and (trainer) Wesley (Ward) for the opportunity. I know when I ride Wesley's horses they have a shot, so I thought it was possible in this race with this horse. At first I was real nervous, but when they opened the gate and I saw I had tons of horse, I thought, 'I got it.'"

A native of Chiriquí, Panama, Jimenez grew up in farm country and has been around horses all his life, but he didn't see a Thoroughbred race until at age 15, when he spent a few days in Panama City with his uncle, a weekend horseplayer. Fascinated by the sport, Jimenez entered the Laffit Pincay Jr. Jockey Training Academy at Presidente Remón Racetrack near Pamana City at 16. He graduated from the two-year program third in his class academically and with top honors as the best rider in his class.

Jimenez rode for about four months in Panama before moving to the United States as an apprentice during the spring of 2010. He rode first in Florida at Calder Race Course, where he scored his first U.S. win. After a couple months at Calder, he rode briefly in New York and then moved his tack to Kentucky to ride the fall meet at Churchill Downs. He has continued to ride primarily in Kentucky and Indiana.

Jimenez earned his first of six Turfway meet titles during the 2013 holiday meet. He was also the top rider for the 2015 Indiana Grand meet.

Zarman was making just his second start and his first since October for Dave Reid's Ice Wine Stable and Ward. The 3-year-old gelding is by Tapizar  , out of the Posse mare Ocean Magic, and was bred in Kentucky by Elm Tree Farm. He was purchased by D. Philip Reid for $40,000 out of the Keeneland November sale.