Former jockey Burress finding success as trainer

Beverly Burress, who closed out her riding career at Louisiana Downs in September 2013, began training last fall and now has a 14-horse stable based in Bossier City, La. She had won four races from 13 starts at the meet through Sunday for a 31 percent strike rate at Louisiana Downs.

Burress, who just picked up five horses for a new client, owns some of the horses she trains and as such was tied for third in the owners’ standings at Louisiana Downs through Sunday. One of her winningest horses, Lil Becky, was seeking to win her fourth straight race Monday.

“To have people pat you on the back, tell you you’re doing a good job, it really, truly means something,” Burress, 32, said. “To have the older horsemen tell you, ‘You’re doing good, keep going, the hard work is going to pay off,’ it makes all the hours at the racetrack worth it.”

Burress launched her riding career at Blue Ribbon Downs in Oklahoma and won with her first mount on March 25, 2005. She ended up winning 254 races as a rider, and her 3,639 mounts earned more than $4.1 million. Burress is married to jockey Juan Larrosa. The couple has a 3-year-old son who goes by L.J. for “Little Juan.”

Burress said the success Larrosa has had at Louisiana Downs was one of the reasons the family decided to make the track part of their personal circuit. Following the close of the season in September, they will head to Delta Downs in Vinton, La.

“We only have to move one time,” said Burress.

Burress hails from a racing family with ties to Oklahoma. Her father, Bobby Burress, rode before training.

“It was bred into me,” said Beverly Burress.

Burress won her first race as a trainer at Delta on Nov. 22. The win came with her third starter, Kylie’s Cutie. Burress has gone 7 for 28 with her starters in 2017.