Jiminez off to hot start at holiday meet

Albin Jimenez, the perennial top jockey at Turfway, got away to a fast start at the holiday meet that began Thursday night, racking up nine wins from 24 mounts, including the Holiday Inaugural on Spanish Pipedream.

Jimenez considered heading to Tampa Bay Downs for the winter, “but the way business is going here, I think we’ve changed that plan,” said agent Jimmy McNerney.

Jimenez, 23, has won or tied for leading rider at the last four Turfway meets, dating to the 2013 holiday meet. He has three brothers who graduated jockey school last month in their native Panama, said McNerney.

There is no shortage of available jockeys at Turfway as more than 40 accepted mounts during the first four cards. Quite a few also will be riding at Mahoning Valley in northeastern Ohio on days when Turfway isn’t running.