Apprentice Manny Americano to ride weekend at Santa Anita
For the third time in less than two months, apprentice jockey Manny Americano will have a new base of operation.
Americano rode the autumn meeting at Pleasanton in Northern California, which ended on Dec. 18. When a winter-spring meeting was canceled at Pleasanton because of poor business, Americano moved permanently to Turf Paradise in Phoenix.
This weekend, Americano is relocating to Santa Anita in Southern California, and is booked on three mounts on Sunday. He will be represented by Brian Beach.
A native of Mexico, Americano, 24, was winless with two mounts at Santa Anita on Jan. 5, the only time he has ridden at the track.
In a brief interview on Wednesday, Americano said a move to Santa Anita “is good for me for more experience and more everything.
“Santa Anita is more money,” he said.
Americano began riding in the summer of 2023 on the Northern California fair circuit. He won 72 races in 2024, and ranked third at the autumn meeting at Pleasanton with 22 wins, three behind co-leaders Alexander Chavez and Luis Jimenez.
“It was a good opportunity with the owners and trainers,” Americano said of Pleasanton. “It was a good meeting.”
Through Wednesday, Americano has won 13 races this month at Turf Paradise. He currently ranks third in the standings there with 32 wins since the meeting began on Nov. 2. In the final months of 2024, Americano was frequently riding at Turf Paradise on days when Pleasanton did not race.
“He’s a nice kid and horses run for him,” said trainer Vann Belvoir, who is based at Turf Paradise and was a former leading rider at Emerald Downs in Washington state.
The riders based at Pleasanton this fall have scattered across the country. Chavez is riding at Mahoning Valley, while Jimenez and Santos Rivera are based at Sam Houston. Others such as Frank Alvarado, William Antongeorgi, Adrian Castellanos, Assael Espinoza, Alejandro Gomez, Hugo Herrera, and Kevin Orozco are riding at Santa Anita.
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