Jockey Almodovar gets 2,000th North American winner

Jockey Gerald Almodovar rode his 2,000th North American winner in the seventh race at Timonium on Friday.

Almodovar, 32, has ridden almost exclusively at Charles Town since coming to the United States from his native Puerto Rico in 2004.

He was the leading rider at Charles Town in 2005 and has finished second in the standings on four other occasions. Coming into Saturday’s races, Almodovar was tied for second in the Charles Town standings with 66 wins.

Almodovar went 2 for 5 on opening day at Timonium and is tied for the top spot in the standings. He won the first race of the meet aboard Goodbyeseeulater ($5.20) for Maryland horseman Kieron Magee and then scored his milestone win on No Refunds ($34.40) for Laurel Park-based trainer John Salzman Jr.

For his career, Almodovar has an 18 percent win average and more than $33 million in mount earnings.