Jockey Martin, fresh off milestone, focused on Remington

Jockey Eddie Martin Jr., who earlier this month hit 4,000 career Thoroughbred wins in North America, will be a regular at the Remington Park meet, which opens Friday night. He also is riding at Retama Park, where he led the standings through Tuesday. The meet at Retama closes Sept. 5.

It was at Retama where Martin hit the milestone on Aug. 15 in a photo in the final race of the night with Spinning Pegasus ($9.80).

“It was pretty awesome,” Martin said. “The good Lord made me wait until the last race.”

Martin is a 53-year-old native of New Orleans who got his start in racing in Louisiana.

“My parents were owners when I was growing up,” he said. “They owned about 20 horses, so that’s how I got introduced to racing.”

Martin said he climbed aboard his first horse during a farm visit when in junior high, and that sealed his career path.

“I was like, ‘Yeah, I want to be a jockey,’ ” he said.

Martin spent his formative riding years under the tutelage of Jake “Buster” Leger, who trained for his parents. Martin won the first race of his career on Oct. 24, 1980, at Delta Downs. Highlights since then include a 109-1 upset of the 2012 Louisiana Derby with Hero of Order and wins in the 1999 New Orleans Handicap with Precocity and the 2001 Fair Grounds Oaks aboard Real Cozzy.

“I’ve won almost every major stakes at Fair Grounds, and those kind of memories are important to me, being that I was born in New Orleans,” Martin said. “It’s tradition, and a lot goes into being successful at Fair Grounds. I’m just glad I was able to be leading rider there one year, too.”

Martin said the milestone win earlier this month was even more special because it happened on the birthday of one of his daughters, Caity. Another daughter, Ally, was born on Sept. 30.

“I hope that’s going to be a good day, too,” Martin said of what will be Oklahoma Derby Day.

Martin spent a short period of time at the Remington meet last year, but because of the trainers he has been riding for this summer – including Karl Broberg at Retama – he has committed to the full Remington meet, which runs through Dec. 16.