Bejarano becomes 15th jockey to reach 500 wins at Churchill
Rafael Bejarano recorded his 500th victory at Churchill Downs as he piloted the 2-year-old filly Just Cindy, from the first crop of Triple Crown winner Justify, to a debut victory on Friday.
Just Cindy earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 70 for her 2 1/4-length win going 5 1/2 furlongs. The filly, a Clarkland Farm homebred trained by Eddie Kenneally, is out of stakes winner Jenda's Agenda. She became the third winner from the first crop of Justify.
Bejarano, who turns 40 on June 23, began riding in his nature Peru in 1999, and Just Cindy was his 4,281st career winner. His career highlights include winning the 2007 Breeders’ Cup Distaff and eight other stakes races on champion Ginger Punch; winning the 2010 Kentucky Oaks aboard champion Blind Luck; the 2005 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf on champion Intercontinental; and taking the 2013 and 2014 editions of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile on Goldencents.
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Bejarano began riding at Churchill Downs in 2003 and won three local riding titles before moving his tack to California in 2008. He returned to the Kentucky circuit in 2020, and is now only the 15th rider in Churchill Downs records to register 500 victories at the track. He joins Pat Day (2,482 Churchill Downs wins), Calvin Borel (1,232), Robby Albarado (1,192), Corey Lanerie (1,172), Julien Leparoux (1,002), Don Brumfield (925), Larry Melancon (914), Jim McKnight (883), Charlie Woods Jr. (757), Brian Hernandez Jr. (740), Shane Sellers (738), Shaun Bridgmohan (728), Julio Espinoza (642), and Jon Court (583).
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