Lane Luzzi to ride in New York, hopes to follow in dad's footsteps

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York jockey colony will go through a transition over the next few months and one who hopes to make an impact is Lane Luzzi, who will plans to ride full-time at Aqueduct’s winter meet.

Luzzi, the son of veteran rider Mike Luzzi, rode in the Mid-Atlantic region this summer, and rode one race Thursday at Aqueduct, finishing second aboard the 9-year-old Hammerin Aamer in a $12,500 claimer.

“I’m getting my feet wet these next few weeks,” Luzzi, 26, said after that race. “The goal is eventually the winter meet.”

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Luzzi, who began riding in 2015, was mostly in the Southwest, riding meets in Texas and Oklahoma. Following the 2023 Sam Houston winter meet, where he finished fifth in the standings, Luzzi migrated to the East, where he rode at Monmouth this summer, booting home 11 winners from 141 mounts. Being based at Monmouth also enabled him to ride some at Delaware Park and Laurel.

On Friday, he was scheduled to ride the afternoon at Delaware and the evening card at Meadowlands. On Saturday, Luzzi was scheduled to ride at Aqueduct and Meadowlands.

Luzzi said riding in New York was always the goal for him, but he wanted to hone his skills before making the move.

“I grew up around here, watched my dad ride for years on this circuit,” Luzzi said. “For me being a New York jockey was always the dream and I’m finally in position where I feel like I belong. I’ve built a little of a résumé and I really learned how to ride over these last few years. I think right now is the right time.”

Lane Luzzi said he speaks with his dad, the 1989 Eclipse Award-winning apprentice, “eight times a day” and they frequently watch races together. Mike has not officially retired but he has only ridden four mounts since April and has been exercising horses at Saratoga during the summer and early fall for trainers Bill Mott and Linda Rice, among others.

Mike Luzzi spent one winter at Sam Houston riding with Lane and said if the opportunity presented itself to ride again this winter he would do it, but added, “It’s his time now,” he said. “If I were to continue riding it would have to be a situation where I’d be silly to say no. He’s a really good rider and he’s on a mission like I was.”

Lane Luzzi will be represented by agent Shawn Klotz, who said, “I think he’s got a big shot to make an impression here.”

When Lane Luzzi finished second on Hammerin Aamer, he was beaten by Bold Victory and jockey Madison Olver, who also plans to ride in New York this winter. That victory was Olver’s 40th career win, making her a five-pound apprentice, a status she retains through the beginning of March, according to Klotz, who also represents Olver.

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