Gutierrez entrenched as a go-to rider in region

Jockey Reylu Gutierrez, who earlier this year moved his tack from New York to Texas, is sitting on a busy summer. He has mounts in all four stakes being run Sunday at Lone Star Park, and after the meet closes on July 11 he will head to Colonial Downs in Virginia.

Gutierrez said he will ride the Colonial meet, then base at Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

Gutierrez came to this region in January. He finished fifth in the standings at Sam Houston Race Park, and through Wednesday ranks second at Lone Star. Gutierrez is riding for some of the strongest barns in the region, and said he intends to spend most of the year in the Southwest for the foreseeable future.

“This looks like it’s going to be home for a little bit,” he said. “As long as they would like to have me, I’m definitely not leaving.”

Gutierrez on Sunday will ride Grade 1 winner Henley’s Joy in the $75,000 Singletary for trainer Steve Asmussen. He also has been named to ride Elle’s Town and Quarky in separate stakes for trainer Karl Broberg.

“I would love to win a stakes for Karl,” Gutierrez said. “He’s supported me since the beginning of the meet. I rode in the Belmont Stakes last year for Steve. That’s always meant a lot to me. I’m really glad they’re in my corner. We’ll see what happens.”

Gutierrez won his first Lone Star stakes earlier this month with Tengo Mis Papeles. The 2-year-old trained by Bret Calhoun rolled by 9 3/4 lengths in his debut in the $75,000 Texas Stallion Stakes.

“I really am fond of that horse,” Gutierrez said. “He worked very good in the mornings, worked very professionally. He’s very mature. He doesn’t act like a 2-year-old. Some are very talented, but their mind is not present yet. He’s there. He’s all there.”

Gutierrez, who has had a pair of four-win days at Lone Star, is sitting on the sidelines this week as he serves days for a riding infraction. He had won 39 races at the meet through Wednesday, nine behind leader Stewart Elliott.

Gutierrez is a 25-year-old native of Rochester, N.Y. He is the son of trainer Luis Gutierrez. The younger Gutierrez holds a degree in exercise physiology from the State University of New York at Cortland. He was an Eclipse Award finalist for outstanding apprentice jockey of 2018.