Garrett Gomez is no stranger to winning Breeders’ Cup races,
especially at Santa Anita. The 40-year-old Tucson native has 12 such
victories overall on his growing and glowing resume, including four in
2008 and one in 2009 when the World Championship events were held at The
Great Race Place.
Gomez hit a “Grand Slam” in 2008, winning the Dirt Mile on
Albertus Maximus, the Sprint on Midnight Lute, the Juvenile aboard
Midshipman and the Filly & Mare Sprint on Ventura. In 2009, he won
the Ladies’ Classic on Life Is Sweet.
Among his mounts this year are probable favorite Beholder, a
filly that would be running against males in the Juvenile Sprint;
talented 3-year-old Jimmy Creed in the Sprint, both trained by Richard
Mandella; and Richard’s Kid for trainer Doug O’Neill in the Classic.
Additionally, agent Tony Matos has booked Gomez on the following
Breeders’ Cup horses: Grassy (Marathon); Switch (F&M Sprint);
Marketing Mix (F&M Turf); Reneesgotzip (F&M Turf Sprint/F&M
Sprint); Slim Shadey (Turf); and Jeranimo (Mile).
Gomez was happy with Beholder and Jimmy Creed after he worked
them recently. “Both went really well,” he said. “They sat off of other
horses and kind of cruised. Both have good races coming into the
Breeders’ Cup. Richard wasn’t looking for hard works for them but both
worked very well.”
Gomez was not overly concerned about Beholder facing males. “It
doesn’t matter,” he reasoned. “When they’re this young, and when you
look at some of the Beyer numbers on the fillies, they’re faster than
the colts. This time of year, I don’t think it makes much of a
difference.
“For me, it’s nice to ride at Santa Anita when my home is so
close by. I enjoy being here for the Breeders’ Cup, and I had a couple
lucky years here, too. Hopefully, I’ll have one of those four-baggers
again.”
Added O’Neill: “Garrett is a great rider. He’s got ice in his
veins, and I love the fact that he’s ridden Richard’s Kid for me once
(to a third-place finish in the Awesome Again Stakes) and he’s gotten a
chance to know him. Having a big-race rider like Garrett in the biggest
race of the year, on a horse he’s already ridden and knows, I couldn’t
ask for a better scenario.”