Da Silva to retire at end of Woodbine meet

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – Eurico Da Silva, one of the most popular and successful riders in Woodbine’s history, has announced that he will retire at the end of the current meet on Dec. 15.

“I’m retiring because I want to spend more time with my family,” Da Silva said. “I just feel if I continue working like that, I’m going to miss seeing my kids grow up.

“This job, you need to really focus hard. It takes a lot out of you, mentally and physically. I’ve been planning to retire for four years. The time has arrived. It’s a very difficult decision. My position with the owners and trainers is the best that it can be. My partnership with Woodbine is great. But at the end of the day, I have three kids, and I really want to spend time with them. My dream is to bring them back and forth to school every day, and just be with them.”

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Da Silva, 44, a native of Sao Paulo, Brazil, began race-riding in his home country in his teens and has been competing at Woodbine since 2004. He said he’s in good physical shape as his long career winds down.

“I was a bug boy when I was 16, and before that, I rode Quarter Horses for two years,” Da Silva recalled. “My body is very, very strong. I’m not going to wait for my body to collapse to start thinking to get out.”

Da Silva’s accomplishments are numerous. A six-time Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s outstanding jockey, he has won the Queen’s Plate twice. Last year, he established the record for most victories at a Woodbine meet by winning 237 races. He currently ranks second in the standings behind Rafael Hernandez.

Da Silva said he plans on undertaking a new profession after retiring from riding.

“I’m going to work as a life coach for athletes,” Da Silva said. “I want to share my experiences with those who want to be on the top of the game in any sport.”