Jockey Hebert nears 4,000 career-win mark

Jockey Tracy Hebert is approaching a milestone of 4,000 career Thoroughbred wins in North America, and he could hit that mark this week at his Zia Park base in Hobbs, N.M.

Hebert had 3,992 wins heading into the Sunday program. He has one mount on a card of mostly Quarter Horse races. Hebert then has five mounts at the track Monday and has been named to ride six horses Tuesday.

The pending milestone is a pleasant surprise for Hebert, a 54-year-old native of the same Louisiana town – Erath – that claims Randy Romero, Shane Sellers, and Curt Bourque. Hebert won his first race in 1979, his 27,594 mounts overall have earned more than $54 million.

“It’s something I never dreamed of, that I never expected,” Hebert said. “I never really thought about all that – I just went out there and did what I had to do. I did my job. I never set a goal, ‘I want to win 4,000 races.’ I just get up in the morning and go to work. I go ride.”

Hebert has been riding races since he was a child. He won his first race at 16 at Evangeline Downs, aboard a horsed trained by his uncle and mentor, Doris Hebert. Racing was a logical career path for the younger Hebert.

“My whole family is into it,” he said. “It’s been in the bloodlines from way back.”

Hebert has racked up titles in Louisiana at Delta Downs, Evangeline and the now-shuttered Jefferson Downs. He went on to add more riding championships at Thistledown and Turfway. Hebert also has captured Grade 3 races at Keeneland, with First and Only in the Fort Harrod in 1994; Arlington, in the Oaks with Niner’s Home in 1995; and Lone Star, in the Texas Mile with Silent Pleasure in 2007.

In more recent times, Hebert has made his way west. He won the 2016 title at Arapahoe Park in Colorado, then finished tied atop the Zia standings last year with Jorge Carreno. The circuit move is a significant one for the rider so steeped in Louisiana.

“Things were not working out in Louisiana,” Hebert said. “I let one of the top agents go. We kind of had a falling out. An agent called me to go up to Mountaineer and I did okay. I left there and went to Charles Town and then I got in a little trouble and went to jail for four months.”

Hebert said it was for a DUI in 2015. But good came out of the situation. Hebert met a trainer named Joy Marlin, who was racing in the region at the time but had 20 to 25 horses to bring to Arapahoe at the request of her owner. She needed a rider, and Hebert needed to rebuild.

“That’s kind of when my career picked up again,” Hebert said.

And it was good for Marlin, too.

“For me, he’s invaluable,” she said. “My own stats have doubled. I know without him, I wouldn’t have been as successful as I’ve been.

“He’s got that whole horse-whisperer thing going for him.”

He also has won Marlin’s heart, and before long Hebert will reach another milestone – this one personal. He and Marlin plan to wed this November in Miami.

“We’re looking at Thanksgiving,” Marlin said. “Just something small and simple on the beach.”

But before then, the couple will team up Sunday in the third race, with Shepherd’s Pride.