Apprentice jockey Murray living out her dream

Erica Murray’s journey to becoming a jockey started as a toddler, when her mother took her to Louisiana Downs to watch morning training. It came full circle at the Bossier City track last Saturday, when the 17-year-old Murray won with her first career mount, Broussard. Following the race, a celebration coordinated by her fellow riders closed out a day to remember.

“I got ice water, baby powder, ketchup [thrown] all over me,” Murray said. “I’ve never been so ready for that my whole life!”

Murray guided Broussard ($11.60) to a 3 1/2-length win in a $5,000 maiden-claiming race around two turns. She was aboard for trainer Joe Duhon, who has been a mentor to Murray since last summer, when she began galloping horses at Louisiana Downs.

“She rode that horse good,” Duhon said. “She’s got ability. She reads a horse good. She can communicate with a horse.”

Murray had debated launching her riding career last year at Louisiana Downs but decided to wait as she spent time learning from Duhon.

“The more I worked on being ready, the more I realized I wasn’t ready yet,” she said. “I stayed working with Joe. He taught me so much, the fundamentals. He taught me how to work with the racehorses.”

Murray is a native of Shreveport, La., who began riding as a child. She lives in Haughton, La., which is right next door to Louisiana Downs, and has a 30-year-old Paint named Patches and a 24-year-old Quarter Horse named Rose.

“Patches was my first horse,” Murray said. “He was given to me when I was 8 as a Christmas present. Rose I got a couple of years later when I was 11. She was supposed to be for barrel racing. I didn’t enjoy the barrel racing and started putting an exercise saddle on her. I learned a lot about riding on those two.”

Murray recently graduated from an online high school.

“It allowed me to do what I love, allowed me to get on horses every morning,” she said. “It gave me a lot of freedom. I was able to finish a lot quicker.”

Murray said down the road she might pursue a degree in journalism, but right now, she is focusing on her riding career. Former jockey Ron Ardoin, a winner of more than 5,000 races, is her agent, and last year she received advice from now-retired jockey Rosie Napravnik.

“Now that I rode my first race, I’m all about my riding,” said Murray.