Gulfstream Park: Richardson back to booking mounts

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Donnie Richardson, a longtime racing executive who ended his association with Churchill Downs earlier this year, has returned to his roots as a jockey agent and is representing both Patrick Husbands and Jermaine Bridgmohan here this winter.

Richardson, who was the senior vice president of racing at the time of his departure from Churchill Downs, served as a jockey’s agent for 11 years from 1979-1990. Among his clients was Don Brumfield, now one of the association stewards at Gulfstream Park. Brumfield was one of three future Hall of Fame riders Richardson represented during that period, along with Earlie Fires and Chris McCarron.

“I worked for Churchill Downs on two separate occasions, the first for 14 years, the second for 22,” said Richardson. “I’m a racetracker, that’s all I know, and I just wanted to keep doing something, which is why I decided to come back and work as an agent again.”

Richardson said Husbands is due to arrive this week following the conclusion of the Woodbine meeting on Sunday.

“I have developed relationships with a lot of the trainers here from my years at Churchill Downs and that certainly doesn’t hurt now that I’m working as an agent, although it hasn’t put me on any winners yet,” quipped Richardson. “It’s the same as it’s always been. If you’ve got a rider they want to use, they’ll use you, if you don’t, they won’t.”