“Have That Race in My Heart”: Jockey Shares Heartfelt Aspirations Ahead of the 2024 Horse Racing Season

With the year-end nearing, the past months of glory and disappointment have called for reminiscing from people across; and the horse racing industry is no spare. The year for racing has seen spectacular races, remorse, and regulations. Nonetheless, highlighting the best of it all, the New York Racing Association (NYRA) took it upon itself to celebrate the finest of the field.

The NYRA houses some of the largest thoroughbred horse racing tracks in the state of New York. Shining through among the thousands in the circuit is the Puerto Rican jockey, Manny Franco. With 10 more days on the clock for year-end, the jockey is gearing up to face the finest.

Franco aims to claim the horse racing prestige

Starting in 2013, Manuel Franco has over 2000 wins to his name and a larger figure in starts. The races of the Breeders’ Cup and Belmont Stakes include themselves in the numbers. However, for the 28-year-old jockey, one race remains a dream amidst the finest names. The NYRA recently caught up with Manny to celebrate his success in the esteemed circuit. Talking about his journey throughout, the team asked if there was a race he dreamt of winning after the mentioned glory.

“I really want to win the Kentucky Derby. I was so close to winning with Tiz the Law, I have that race in my heart and I think that’s the dream for all the riders. That’s what we work so hard for,” Franco replied. The jockey had claimed the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf aboard Tiz the Law and placed a second runner-up atop him in the Kentucky Derby.

While Franco might not have claimed the undying glory of the prestigious race, his career record shines no less. 10 years into his horse racing career, thousands of major starts, and 2023 stands out owing to his 2000th win.

The jockey’s glistening milestone

2023 has been a good year for Manny Franco. Throughout the year, the jockey clinched 233 races on the NYRA circuit with three major titles. The final one of which came to be the jockey’s awaited milestone of 2000 wins. In September earlier this year, Manny raced atop  Chad Brown-trained Spirit of St Louis. The duo dominated the race-2 at Belmont at Aqueduct to clinch a win by half a length.

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“I feel great,” Franco said. “Every win is a blessing. I’m just happy to do this…I just try to keep going strong and I’ll keep working hard to keep winning races.” Franco currently holds 2,033 horse racing wins to his name. He aims for an increase in the number through one or more of 4 NYRA races this season. Moreover, a 4th NYRA title remains in his mind as he leads with 11 wins in Aqueduct fall standings.

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