Louisiana native jockey Kerwin Clark scored a
riding hat trick last Monday at Fair Grounds, and also had a riding triple the
previous Thursday, but completed his recent week by riding Just For Fun
Stables’ Decisive Moment to a 3 1/2-length tally in the $250,000 Jean
Lafitte Stakes at Delta Downs Friday night.
Not a bad week, month, or year so far for the 51-year old
Lafayette-born athlete who rode his first recognized horse race in 1975 at
Jefferson Downs and battled for leading apprentice honors at Evangeline Downs
in 1976.
Through Saturday’s race day at Fair Grounds, Clark had
ridden 21 winners at the meeting not yet at the halfway mark and was eighth in
the standings, as opposed to a year ago when he rode 19 winners during the
entire season and finished 16th in the final standings. Why the sudden
improvement?
“Riding good horses, that’s absolutely the key,” said Clark Sunday morning,
speaking in the track kitchen during the break “That and having a good
agent like Tony Martin. We got together last April and things have just
been clicking between us ever since. I’ve been riding six to nine horses every
day and that’s just great.
“Agents are a big part of this game,” Clark
said. “If you find somebody you can click with, things just seem to work out.
When I’m out there riding, I don’t feel like I’m 51. I may sometimes when I’m
sitting down, but I never feel like an old rider out there, which is good. I
feel great, I love this game and I love to win.
“Right now, life is really good for Mr. Clark,” said the
reinsman, affectionately known as “Boo Boo” to his friends. “I’m Cajun head to toe,
I’ve got good kids, good grandkids and I’m making a great living doing what I
love to do. Mentally, physically and financially, I’ve never been happier than
I am right now.
“Also, I’m excited about this horse I rode the other
night.” Clark
added, speaking of Decisive Moment. “It’s amazing how much a horse can change
between his 2-year-old and 3-year-old seasons. He’s going to be a good one, and
they may bring him here for the (Grade II) Risen Star (middle leg of
Fair Grounds sophomore series on Feb. 19.) You know, I’ve ridden in the
Breeders’ Cup, but I’ve never ridden in the Kentucky Derby. Wouldn’t that be
great, after all these years, to have my first Kentucky Derby mount at
51-years-old?”