Ramon Dominguez, the leading rider on
The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit, reached another milestone
Wednesday afternoon at Aqueduct Racetrack when he won the second race aboard
Fortyninegeorgest. for his 4,000
th career victory.
The 33-year-old rider is the 58th
jockey in history to achieve that milestone.
"It feels great, but it's almost
surreal,” said Dominguez. “It's the kind of thing that happens slowly over the
years, but you're not prepared for it when it gets here. I'm so
excited. You remember the big races, but every win counts just at
much. I have great support in New York and thanks to my agent and everyone
who supports me here."
Dominguez, who began riding
year-round in New
York in 2009, began Wednesday leading the nation in wins
with 88 winners of more than $2.5 million.
Dominguez, who swept every NYRA
meet last year, currently holds a sizable margin over David Cohen for Aqueduct’s
Inner Track Meet, which began on December 2 and runs through March 27.
Last year on the NYRA circuit of
Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, Dominguez rode 376 winners, second only
to Steve Cauthen’s record 433 wins in 1977, riding five winners on a single card
on two occasions, four winners nine times, and three winners a remarkable 43
times.
He also won more than 30 NYRA
stakes including the Grade 1 Man o'War aboard Gio Ponti, whom he is scheduled to
ride in the $10 million Dubai World Cup on March 27.
With a record of 376-268-233 from
1,560 starters in New
York in 2009, Dominguez won with more than 24 percent of
his mounts, which earned $15,338,310.
Nationally, he ranked second in wins
behind Russell Baze (415-391) and third in total purse earnings with $18,340,422
behind Garrett Gomez ($18,571,171) and Julien Leparoux ($18,560,565).