Ellingwood's mid-race riding adjustment leads to first career victory

The race developed in a manner different than expected, but apprentice jockey Emily Ellingwood recorded her first career win in Thursday’s fourth race at Los Alamitos on 15-1 Billy K.

Ellingwood hoped to send Billy K to the front, but that idea changed rapidly after the 3-year-old filly was bumped at the start.

“The plan was to get her on the lead,” Ellingwood recalled Friday. “She prefers to be on the lead. That didn’t work out because I did get bumped coming out of the gate. I got her in a good spot where I could go between two horses.

“It ended up working out, and she ran a great race.”

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Billy K won the maiden claimer at 5 1/2 furlongs by four lengths, a victory Ellingwood described as “incredible.”

A 26-year-old native of Southern California, Ellingwood has worked as an exercise rider in recent years for trainers such as Matt Chew, Ryan Hanson, and Tom Proctor. Hanson trains Billy K.

Ellingwood worked for Proctor on the East Coast for two years and traveled with his prominent stable.

“I missed home and came back,” she said.

Ellingwood has a background in show jumping and has had an interest in horses since childhood. She admits she was late to racing.

“I got bored and wanted to spice it up a bit,” she said.

Ellingwood will be based at Santa Anita this winter. Billy K was her seventh mount.

“I’m wishing for the best and excited to learn,” Ellingwood said.