Birzer lands milestone 4,000th career victory
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Jockey Alex Birzer reached a milestone of 4,000 Thoroughbred wins in North America on Friday night, when he guided Big Duck to a 1 1/4-length victory in the fifth race at Delta Downs.
The win was one of two on the card for the rider, who was aboard Big Duck for his wife, trainer Bonnie Birzer. The horse paid $11.20.
Birzer has just resumed riding. He had been sidelined for months by injuries sustained in a starting gate accident June 30 at Prairie Meadows. Birzer's first race back came Dec. 20 at Delta. He hit the milestone on his next night to ride, which was Friday.
Birzer was two wins from the milestone this summer when he broke both the tibia and fibula bones above one of his ankles and had surgeries on July 1 and July 5. The accident happened as a filly he was aboard flipped in the starting gate.
“My leg got hung up behind the tail gate and her back,” Birzer told Daily Racing Form in July. “As she went on over she kind of threw her head and pushed me off the tail gate and I kind of got hung up there for an instant. I broke both bones right above my ankle.”
Birzer is a native of Hutchinson, Kan. He registered his first career win as a jockey on June 24, 1992 at River Downs. He’s since won numerous titles, some at Prairie Meadows and the Woodlands, and others in Nebraska. Birzer has won graded stakes with Remembering Rita in the Cornhusker at Prairie Meadows, and Patton’s Victory in the Fifth Season at Oaklawn Park.
Through the years, Birzer has amassed a career record of 4,051 wins from 28,947 starts, for mount earnings of $74,442,742, according to records from DRF. Of his wins, 51 came in races for Quarter Horses.
Back in July, he reflected on the approaching milestone.
“Some of the horsemen I’ve rode for I’ve been so blessed to be around,” he said. “And some of the riders that I’ve rode with, you learn so much from those guys. Now, I’m in a spot where I can teach the younger generation and when they’re going on and they’re riding and they’re doing things right, man it just makes you feel so good.
“It’s been a great ride. I can’t complain a little bit. It’s been a lot of fun. I’m still a little kid living out his life dream.”
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