Martin, 62-year-old great-grandmother, rides 25-1 winner

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Sue Martin, a 62-year-old great-grandmother who rode her first winner back in 1973 at Les Bois Park in Idaho, got her first riding victory since 2014 on Sunday at Tampa Bay Downs, scoring a 25-1 upset with Blue Haze of Fire in a maiden $12,500 claiming race.

Blue Haze of Fire ($53.80) pressed the pace in second place for half a mile before taking the lead and finishing in 1:44.87 for one mile and 40 yards on a track listed as “good” after overnight rain. Blue Haze of Fire finished one length ahead of runner-up Gone to Dixie in the field of eight older fillies and mares. The 5-year-old Thesaurus mare was making her 11th career start and was stepping up from the maiden $8,000 claiming level for owner James Hester Jr.

“I didn’t know how she would like going a mile [and 40 yards], but she’s been training really well,” Martin said.

Blue Haze of Fire is trained by Wayne Martin, the jockey’s husband.

Sue Martin had 26 mounts in 2015, seven last year, and has had two this year, both aboard Blue Haze of Fire. She also rode a Quarter Horse to a second-place finish at the Ocala Training Center last Tuesday. For her career, she has 29 wins from 671 mounts.

Martin has seven children, 18 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

“The Lord keeps putting me together – I’ve broken every bone in my body, I have a titanium leg, and I have a plate and screws in my arm,” she said. “I don’t want to retire, and I think I have the mount back on Blue [Haze of Fire].”