HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Fernando De La Cruz took a chance when he moved from Tampa Bay Downs to Oaklawn for the winter, and the risk has been rewarded. De La Cruz was tied for fifth in the Oaklawn standings through Thursday, and has been aboard a host of quality winners for leading trainer Brad Cox. De La Cruz, 31, committed to Oaklawn after conversations with his brother, jockey Walter De La Cruz, who had been a regular at Oaklawn, and Tony King, an agent who now represents him at Oaklawn. “It was a last-minute decision, because I was at Tampa for seven years,” De La Cruz said. “Tony called me and said there was an opportunity to come in here and ride a little for Brad Cox and some other trainers, picking up business for Kentucky. I thought about it and I said, ‘I’m going to come,’ because I had just split up with my agent at Tampa. “It’s been a good move. I’ve gotten on a lot of good horses for a lot of good trainers.” De La Cruz said his brother Walter, who is now based at Mahoning Valley, told him Oaklawn might afford him a chance at some high-profile mounts because of the quality of racing there. “Walter – he’s my younger brother – was at Oaklawn the last two years,” De La Cruz said. “He talked to me and said it was a good place to pick up business for the Kentucky Derby, for the Breeders’ Cup. Good horses. Good outfits.” De La Cruz also has an older brother who is a jockey, Juan De La Cruz. He is based at Charles Town. The brothers grew up on a family farm in Peru, a country that has produced such riders as Edgar Prado, Rafael Bejarano, and Alan Garcia. Fernando De La Cruz said he was introduced to racing in part by an uncle, who was married to the sister (now deceased) of jockey Jorge Chavez, a native of Peru. “My uncle talked to me about being a jockey,” De La Cruz said. “At the farm I would ride horses, just riding regular on the farm.” De La Cruz started out as a hotwalker and eventually went to riding school in Peru. He said he launched his career in his native country, winning 34 races there over a three and a half month period. He came to the United States in 2007 and won his first race in Indiana. De La Cruz has since won two riding titles at Indiana Grand and one at Hoosier Park. During his time in Indiana, De La Cruz made a contact that has served him particularly well at Oaklawn. “We kind of started using Fernando up at Indiana,” Cox said. “He’s a strong finisher. He’s able to put horses in good position, and is a great judge of pace. He’s a very good rider.” De La Cruz and Cox have teamed for 52 wins together from 137 starts, for a 37 percent win clip, according to Daily Racing Form statistics. During the Oaklawn meet, De La Cruz and Cox are 9 for 24, again hitting at a 37 percent clip together. Overall this meet, De La Cruz has won 13 races from 91 starts, for mount earnings of $594,162. Among the most notable winners at Oaklawn for De La Cruz was Exclamation Point, a 3-year-old half-brother to champion Classic Empire. Trained by Cox, Exclamation Point won a maiden special weight sprint in his career debut Feb. 3 and was to make his first start around two turns Saturday. “When I started working him, everybody in the barn was talking about him being a nice horse,” De La Cruz said Wednesday. “I told my agent about the horse, that I liked him, and he told me about his pedigree. When he won, he was real impressive. He could be better going two turns. Every time when I work him, he gives you a big gallop-out.” De La Cruz also has ridden Coach Adams, who came out on top in a three-way photo Sunday; Leofric and Ma’am, both impressive allowance winners; and Proximus, a 3-year-old son of Oxbow who won a maiden special weight sprint in his debut with a Beyer Speed Figure of 80. De La Cruz’s biggest win came last year aboard Bucchero in the Grade 2 Woodford at Keeneland. He subsequently piloted the horse to a fourth-place finish, beaten just a length, in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. De La Cruz had won 1,716 races in North America through Thursday, and his mounts have earned more than $32 million. De La Cruz’s plans following Oaklawn are still being determined, but he said he expects to ride in both Indiana and Kentucky. ◗ Whitmore, the winner of last year’s Grade 2 Phoenix at Keeneland and Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn, is nearing a return to action. Trainer Ron Moquett said Whitmore is being pointed for the $125,000 Hot Springs next Saturday at Oaklawn. Whitmore, who won the race a year ago, will be making his first start since finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on Nov. 4 at Del Mar.