Apprentice jockey Eswan Flores earned his first victory
aboard a thoroughbred when guiding Kelly Leak to a one length score in the fourth
race Monday at Hollywood Park.
A winner of 21 quarter horse races at Los Alamitos, Flores,
18, had ridden in only three thoroughbred events - finishing second with
Aeromon in his debut in the final race July 1 – before helping Kelly Leak, the
longest shot in the field at nearly 16-1, win for the first time over the
Hollywood Park turf course.
A 5-year-old gelding owned by a partnership and trained by
Mike Machowsky, Kelly Leak, who paid $33.60, was making his 10th
career start on grass Monday. This is 10 more times than Flores
had ridden a horse on turf in either the morning or afternoon.
A native of Mexico who made his first visit to a race track
at the age of 8, Flores rallied between horses in the stretch to win in 1:09.39
for the six furlongs. The win in the $32,000 claimer was the fifth in 22 starts
for Kelly Leak.
“The trainer told me to do whatever I want,’’ said Flores,
who was given a shaving cream facial and doused with water and other assorted
items by numerous jockeys after the milestone win. “I hit him a couple of times
after the wire because I didn’t know where the wire was. I was just so excited.
“My whole family was here today. My mom, my cousins and some
of my friends, all of the people that have been helping me along. I’ve got my
report now for school.’’