Doocy retires from riding to become agent
Tim Doocy said Friday that he has officially retired from riding and will represent jockey Eddie Razo Jr. at the Oaklawn Park meet that opens Jan. 14.
Doocy fractured his left kneecap, ankle, and tibia in a training accident a year ago, and while he suspected the injuries might end his career, he said last summer that he would wait to see how his rehabilitation progressed before making a decision.
“I’m done,” he said Friday. “I’ve only got so much bend in my knee and ankle. I can’t ride.”
Doocy, 55, has been hitting the barns in his new role as agent, talking to trainers about Razo. Razo, who won the Oaklawn title in 2008, is due to arrive this week.
“We’ve been friends for a long time,” Doocy said of Razo. “He asked me this summer if I might be interested in doing this, and it kind of went from there. It’s keeping me in the game doing something.”
Doocy was injured last December, when a horse he was pulling up from a workout was hit by an oncoming outrider and pony team chasing a loose horse.
He rode for 35 years, and in April 2009 became the 24th jockey in North America to reach 5,000 wins. Doocy’s mounts earned more than $66 million, among them Restless Con, with whom he won the Haskell. Doocy won riding titles at several tracks, including Oaklawn, Prairie Meadows, and Remington.
Torres to ride at Oaklawn
Jockey Francisco Torres is back working horses at Oaklawn after undergoing knee surgery in November, and he said Friday that he plans to ride at the upcoming meet.
Torres had arthroscopic surgery to remove a cyst from his left knee.
“Everything went well,” he said. “I’m looking forward to having an awesome meet.”
Torres, 42, began working horses Thursday and said he got on 11 head. Torres last rode at Hoosier Park in October and finished second in the rider standings at the meet. He was last based at Oaklawn in 2006.
Torres, a winner of more than 2,300 races, will be part of a strong colony that is expected to include Calvin Borel, Terry Thompson, Cliff Berry, and Aaron Gryder.