McCarthy enjoying strong meet, with big things ahead

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Personally and professionally, this has been a good winter for jockey Trevor McCarthy.

Personally, McCarthy got married to fellow jockey Katie Davis last December. Professionally, McCarthy has enjoyed a solid winter meet at Aqueduct, winning 33 races from 226 mounts including the meet’s richest race, the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham Stakes. He ranks fifth in wins and in purse money won ($1,848,658).

“Really, this last month, things have gone super well,” said McCarthy, 26. “I’m just delighted.”

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Included in his recent run of 16 wins from his last 70 mounts was Weyburn, whom McCarthy guided to a 46-1 upset in the Gotham. It is expected McCarthy will ride him back in the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 3 for trainer Jimmy Jerkens.

“That was a super moment,” McCarthy said of winning the Gotham. “I was really happy for Jimmy and Chiefswood Stable. To win a big race like that at 46-1 upset was huge.”

McCarthy, the son of former jockey Michael McCarthy, has natural skill. But he’s coupled that with several intelligent rides, paying attention to track biases.

“A couple of those horses I’ve been riding I thought they’re going to really need good trips to win,” McCarthy said. “I just tried to stay confident on those horses and do the best thing you can for their running style. The track bias has helped that, too.”

McCarthy has ridden winners for 21 different trainers, including four for Kelly Breen and three each for Rudy Rodriguez and James Bond.

While McCarthy has had a good meet, his wife, Katie, has struggled, with just one win from 71 mounts. Both McCarthy and Davis believe her business has been hurt by a New York Gaming Commission rule that requires spouses riding in the same race to be coupled. It is a rule that is being reviewed by the commission, according to spokesman Brad Maione, but there is no timetable for a decision on when it may change.

Davis is expected to ride here through Thursday or Friday before heading to Laurel for the spring meet.

McCarthy, according to his agent, Scott Silver, is likely to remain in New York through the first two weeks of Belmont Park before heading to Laurel.

Silver said McCarthy’s summer plans are a bit in flux based on to-be-determined COVID protocols at Mid-Atlantic tracks. One meet McCarthy will definitely ride is Colonial Downs, according to Silver.

◗ Jockey Jose Ortiz will soon return to New York and plans to begin riding when the Aqueduct spring meet opens on April 1. Ortiz will be at Gulfstream Park through Saturday when he rides Greatest Honour in the Grade 1 Florida Derby, and will fly back to New York on Sunday. Provided he passes two COVID-19 tests in five days, Ortiz will be permitted to ride April 1.