NOTE: Even among the close-knit Tampa Bay Downs racing community, Leading Jockey Samuel Marin and Leading Apprentice Jockey Sara Hess were far from household names entering the 2024-25 season. After flashing promise last year by riding 28 winners at the Oldsmar oval, the 23-year-old Marin kept improving, finishing third at Monmouth Park with 40 victories and capturing the month-long Meadowlands meet title with 10 winners. Those performances barely hinted at his excellence in Oldsmar, where the Venezuela product has ridden 115 winners (and counting) to become the youngest Tampa Bay Downs riding champion since 21-year-old Jose Lezcano finished on top in 2005-06. Hess, 26, was even more of an unknown last fall, arriving here as an apprentice with 20 career victories. The Baltimore native’s enthusiasm and a fierce work ethic helped her become the meet’s leading apprentice jockey with 20 victories (six of her 26 victories here came after her 40th career winner, a threshold which stamped her as a journeywoman). The two up-and-comers will receive their trophies in a post-race ceremony during Sunday’s Fan Appreciation Day card. Marin, who plans to return to Monmouth, and Hess, who will make her home base Belterra Park in Ohio while competing at several other Midwest tracks, met this morning to reflect on the meet and their careers (some comments have been edited for clarity or length):
What’s it’s like being the new jockey champion at Tampa Bay Downs?
Samuel Marin: It’s one of the best things I have ever felt. When people see you winning, they keep ing you and giving you more opportunities to ride better horses and compete in bigger races. I’m going to try to keep the momentum going and hopefully things will keep working out as well as they have been.
Sara, what impresses you about Samuel?
Sara Hess: I mean, (he has) 100 and how many wins? That’s really insane. The wins aside, I know I’ve ridden seven races a day for a couple of weeks and it’s absolutely exhausting and demanding, and he’s here every morning and pretty much rides the whole card every single day. Just the fact that he is able to do that and continue to do well and keep a bright, chipper attitude all the time.
Same question about Sara, Samuel.
SM: What’s impressive about her is she has been improving so much during the meet. It’s so important in this game to listen to people, and it’s very helpful when you’re willing to take in advice like she does.
Who have been your biggest influences this season?
SM: (Fellow jockeys) Daniel Centeno and Jesus Castanon. Just ing me, telling me when I make mistakes and teaching me what they know. Even when they don’t, I’ll watch the race again and ask them questions.
SH: Honestly, everybody has been very helpful, all of the riders. You have to this is a highly emotional environment and there is a lot of adrenaline after you come back to the room. Sometimes someone might not bring something to you in the best way, so you take what they say anyway, look at the replay and ask yourself, ‘What can I do differently the next time?’
Samuel, what is your best memory of the meet?
SM: When I beat Irad Ortiz, Jr., with Statesman (on Jan. 17, the 3-year-old colt’s maiden victory for trainer Claude “Shug” McGaughey, III). I didn’t think we were going to win at the 1/8-mile pole, but my horse kept on trying and we were there right on time. I rode Statesman again the next time he won, and I got to ride him in the (Grade II) Wood Memorial at Aqueduct.
Sara, what stood out for you?
SH: Anything ‘Moony’-related! (Co-owner and trainer Dennis Ward’s 8-year-old mare) Bahamian Moon won three races for me, and those are probably the biggest wins of my career, plus we finished third in the (Lightning City Stakes). She’s a little horse with a big heart, she has a good personality and she tries so hard. I galloped her every day. I told Jeanne (Shand, Ward’s partner) I’ll fly anywhere to ride her.
Samuel, how has your agent Mike Moran helped to advance your career?
SM: Once we started working together last summer at Monmouth, everything started to come together real good and I got more opportunities from new people. He works so hard, that makes my job easier. He is hustling for me every day.
Sara, you elected not to have an agent here. How did that work out?
SH: I had an agent the first five weeks of the meet, which was my first time ever having an agent. I’ve always had my own book, and I’ve never really had a ton of business, so it’s been relatively easy to handle by myself. Plus I get on a lot of horses in the mornings, so I am good at gauging what’s underneath of me and can (communicate that information to trainers). The whole point of having an agent is that they sell a product, who is their rider; so in order for me to be a good agent, I just have to sell myself as a decent rider. I’ve been able to do that so far.
What’s the best thing about not being an apprentice anymore?
SH: It’s like you get the monkey off your back – especially when you get down to one or two more wins, you’re just waiting for it to happen and wondering what it’s going to be like. A lot of people struggle when they lose the ‘bug’ (apprentice weight allowance), but I was able to keep getting good opportunities and do well, so that solidified my confidence.
What makes this profession joyful for you?
SM: Being around the horses. I started riding Quarter horses for my father in Venezuela when I was 11, and I don’t feel 100 percent myself if I’m not around horses. They make my life easy, even when I have problems.
SH: Seeing horses improve, seeing myself improve and making the trainers happy. Even if I don’t win, knowing I gave the horse the best shot I possibly could and did the best job I possibly could. … and seeing them go through the whole process and get better, it’s fulfilling.
What goals are you guys taking with you this summer?
SM: Since I started at Monmouth Park in 2022, my dream has been to be leading rider there, so it is always going to be my goal. Staying healthy is the most important thing.
SH: Just to keep the ball rolling. I did better this meet than I did last summer at Belterra, so I want to keep heading in that direction.
Around the oval. Thoroughbred racing continues Friday with a nine-race card beginning at 12:16 p.m. In addition to all the big races being simulcast from Churchill Downs, the Oldsmar oval will conduct full cards Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Fan Appreciation Day) to bring the 2024-25 meet to a close. Tickets are $3 on Friday and $10 on Kentucky Derby Day, with free ission Sunday.
The gates will open at 10 a.m. both Friday and Saturday, with the post time for Churchill’s first race 11 a.m. on both days. There will be QR codes prominently displayed outside the Grandstand and Clubhouse entrances for patrons wishing to pay by credit card.
Valet parking is $25 on Derby Day. Automatic wagering terminals will be set up outside in front of the main Grandstand entrance for fans who decide to grab their tickets early and watch elsewhere, and advance wagering on the Derby and the rest of Churchill’s Saturday card will be available Friday. If you’d like to make an Oaks-Derby double wager, don’t forget to place it Friday before the Oaks.
Plenty of Kentucky Derby souvenirs will be on sale in the Tampa Bay Downs Gift Shop, including glasses listing all 150 winners of the race for $9.95 each. There will also be food-truck specials on the grounds, in addition to the usual concession stand and restaurant fare.
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