Quinonez hopes for Derby shot on Suddenbreakingnews

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockey Luis Quinonez has been something of a late bloomer in his line of work. He did not begin race riding until the age of 23, and he could have his first Kentucky Derby starter this year at the age of 49.

“It doesn’t matter as long as it happens,” said Quinonez.

Quinonez is the regular rider of Suddenbreakingnews, who runs Saturday at Oaklawn in the Grade 1, $1 million Arkansas Derby. The horse will be one of the top choices on the strength of his sweeping win in the Grade 3, $500,000 Southwest in February. He also will get support because he had a troubled trip last out when fifth as the favorite in the Grade 2, $900,000 Rebel.

“A lot of stuff happened in the race,” Quinonez said. “One, we came out of the 14 hole. It’s so deep out there. We break good, almost too good, and got to the turn, and I had to either take back a little bit or get hung out real wide, so I had to grab a little bit and go back inside.”

Quinonez said things went well from there until midway on the final turn, where he was racing between rivals and just behind a leading contender he expected would be moving forward.

“I thought I saw a spot where I could just go, but a horse in front of me stopped, and I was right behind him,” he said. “I had to stop, and [they] got the jump on me. I feel like it cost me a lot.”

Suddenbreakingnews finished 4 3/4 lengths behind the winner, Cupid, and has since worked well for the rematch Saturday. In his final breeze, the Donnie Von Hemel-trained runner went a half-mile in 48.40 seconds last Saturday.

“It gave me goose bumps,” said Quinonez, who was aboard for the drill. “Donnie said get to the last eighth and ask him a little bit, ask him to work a little bit, and he was there. He picked it up went right on.”

Quinonez said when it was time to wind down the drill, the horse was responsive, as always.

“He’s such a smart horse,” he said. “He’s just push-button. You ask him, he goes. You slow down, he comes back. He’s doing so good. I think he’s just getting stronger. After the Southwest, you could start to see it. He’s getting stronger and building up.”

Von Hemel paired Quinonez with Suddenbreakingnews from the start, with the rider aboard for all seven of the horse’s races dating back to last summer at Remington Park. The pair’s success together includes a late-running victory in that track’s $100,000 Clever Trevor.

“Luis has always been a good rider with horses off the pace,” Von Hemel said. “He’s been on him every race now and for most of his works. He knows the horse well. And, of course, he’s got experience. He can tell you something after the race that can help you get headed in the right direction. He’s just a good, solid rider.”

Quinonez has won more than 3,550 races and amassed more than $65 million in mount earnings since his first career victory in 1989 at Canterbury Park. He would go on to win five titles at that track and has won a title at both Oaklawn at Remington Park. Some of the top horses he has ridden include millionaires Alternation and Maysville Slew, plus near millionaire Brownie Points. Quinonez will be aboard a full sister to Alternation, a winner of the Oaklawn Handicap, in a first-level allowance Thursday.

Quinonez was born in the state of Sinola, Mexico, and as teenager made his way to Oklahoma. He is the oldest of eight children and the brother of jockeys Alonso Quinonez, who is based in Southern California, and Belen Quinonez, who rides at Oaklawn as well as Prairie Meadows and in Oklahoma.

“Since we were little, we were very poor, and I had big dreams,” Quinonez said. “I could see we were not making it like this, so I was looking for ways to prove myself. I was trying to go to school, and it was hard. We didn’t have any money, and I was going to have to go out of town. It was going to be hard to keep going to school. My uncle was working for a trainer here in America. He called and said, ‘Hey, if somebody wants to come this way, I can help one,’ and I said, ‘I’m in.’ I’ll never forget that.”

Quinonez arrived in the United States at 18, spoke no English, and worked in the sport from the bottom up. He first was a hotwalker, then a groom, then an exercise rider before launching his career.

“I was doing everything,” he said with a laugh.

Quinonez, who twice had mounts unable to draw into the Kentucky Derby, would love to have it all come together this year with Suddenbreakingnews.

“It would be a dream,” he said. “It’s very exciting.”

The next step is Saturday.