Lone Star: Apprentice jockey Mora has a half-dozen chances Tuesday

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Apprentice jockey Gerardo Mora has emerged as one of the most promising young riders in Texas over the first half of the year. He finished second in the Sam Houston Race Park standings in March, and with a week remaining in the Lone Star Park meet ranks seventh in the standings and first among apprentices.

Mora has won 22 of 224 starts at the meet and can add to his win total during a special Tuesday night card at Lone Star when he rides six of the nine races on the program. First post is 5 p.m. Central, with a Pat Green concert to follow the races.

Mora, a 20-year-old native of Palestine, Texas, comes from a racing family. Among his relatives is jockey Adrian Ramos.

“He’s my uncle,” Mora said. “A lot of my family, some of them gallop, some are grooms. I liked the horses and started riding. I love riding. I do it not for money, but because I like it. I just love to ride.”

Mora galloped horses for a number of trainers between Louisiana and Texas before he started race riding. He won his first race at Gillespie County Fair in Fredricksburg, Texas, on Aug. 14, 2011, then picked up his fifth win at Retama Park, on Sept. 3, 2011. Mora ended up finishing seventh in the standings at the Retama meet, then shifted his tack to Sam Houston and won 31 races from 214 mounts. Overall, he has won 69 races from 593 mounts for mount earnings of $832,358.

Mora has been getting support from all corners at Lone Star. Among the trainers using him are Steve Asmussen, Allen Milligan, and Danny Pish, who the rider said gave him his first mounts last fall. Mora also said trainer Brent Davidson, who is based at Lone Star, has “helped him a lot,” as has his agent, Toby Cathey. Mora said as for horses, one of the best he has ridden this meet is Que Deseo, a half-brother to multiple Grade 2 winner Wasted Tears who won a second-level allowance on the turf last Sunday at Lone Star.

“I love that horse,” he said. “He’s got a lot of class.”

Mora said Saturday morning that he has not yet decided where he will be based after Lone Star closes this coming Sunday, July 8.

“I’m exploring my options,” he said.

Mora said he would head to either Louisiana Downs, where he has galloped horses, or Remington Park, which opens Aug. 10.