Martin Pedroza wins with first ride in 18 months.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – After 38 years of a standout riding career in the U.S., it appeared Martin Pedroza might have been finished. The 55-year-old Panama native, who booted home more than 3,900 winners and endeared himself through the years to California racing fans, had abruptly stopped riding in October 2019 for personal reasons, and he had no deep-seated desire to ride races any longer.

Pedroza had been content to work as an exercise rider at Keeneland in recent weeks for his good friend, trainer Wesley Ward. But when Ward needed a replacement rider in the last race Thursday, he turned to his right-hand man Pedroza, who proceeded to do what he does best, gunning a first-time starter named Cornbread Hill straight to the front from his rail post. Horse and jockey never looked back, as Cornbread Hill ($13.80) prevailed by 3 1/4 lengths in the six-furlong race for $40,000 maiden claimers.

As the all-time leading jockey at now-defunct Fairplex Park and with Thoroughbreds at Los Alamitos, Pedroza became very well known as a highly effective speed rider in California. His full-speed-ahead tactics in his Thursday return elicited big laughs and high-fives, with Ward saying he was “extremely happy to see Martin back in his favorite place – the winner’s circle.”

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“I’ve had a lot of fun with Martin over the years,” Ward said. “This was just great.”