Perry Ouzts boots home win No. 7,000

Perry Ouzts became just the ninth jockey in North American racing history to win 7,000 races when he booted home heavily favored Emmy’s Candy in the third race Friday at Belterra Park in Cincinnati.

Afterward, Ouzts and his friends and family celebrated the milestone with a presentation in the winner's circle. Among those congratulating Ouzts were his fellow Belterra riders, as well as Hall of Fame jockey Pat Day, who retired in 2005 and is the fourth-winningest rider with 8,803 wins.

Ouzts, 64, ranks second among active riders in wins, trailing only Edgar Prado (7,015). Ouzts is second all-time in career mounts with 50,599 (through his 7,000th win), behind only Russell Baze, who set the record for both wins (12,842) and mounts (53,578) prior to his retirement in June 2016.

Ouzts won his first race at the old Beulah Park in 1973 and has been a mainstay in the region ever since, compiling most of his wins at Beulah, Belterra (formerly River Downs), and Turfway Park in northern Kentucky. He notched his 5,000th win at River in August 2007 and his 6,000th at Turfway Park in Sept. 2012.

Through the years, Ouzts has remained steadfast in declining to reveal when he might retire, repeatedly saying he intends to ride as long as he feels good.

True to form, Ouzts was low-key in his remarks as he neared the milestone this week, saying: “I just get up and go to work, ride hard in every race I ride, and do my best.”

His winning ride aboard Emmy’s Candy for owner-trainer Gary Patrick was actually a pick-up mount. The filly bounded to an early lead and was never seriously threatened, winning by open lengths as the 1-5 favorite.

The purse for the Ohio-bred allowance was $26,200, which actually is more than the typical purse Ouzts has been riding for. His career mount earnings are just shy of $45.8 million, a total dwarfed by all-time leader John Velazquez, who is on pace to surpass the $400 million mark in the coming months. Ouzts has never won a graded stakes, and his greatest win remains the now-defunct Cradle Stakes at River in 2007.

Born and raised in Arkansas, Ouzts lives in Hebron, Ky., with his wife of 34 years, Toni, with whom he has two adult children.