Risenhoover makes first Del Mar win count

DEL MAR, Calif. – Jockey Sasha Risenhoover said she was “still taking it all in” Tuesday morning at Del Mar, the day after she rode Terra’s Angel to an emotional victory in the Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf, giving Risenhoover her first victory at Del Mar.

“It’s something I’ll never forget,” she said. “Go out to Cali and break your maiden on a horse so special in a stakes race at Del Mar. Amazing.”

Terra’s Angel is named for the late daughter of co-owner Terry Eoff. She died from cancer just days after Terra’s Angel won her debut at Lone Star Park in May.

“I felt like I had an angel riding with me last night,” Risenhoover said. “There are no words to express how I feel about yesterday. It was a dream come true. I owe it all to Terry. He stuck with me through thick and thin. He gave me the mount and believed in me.”

Risenhoover, 27, is a native of Sallisaw, Okla., who began riding in 2010 in Lincoln, Neb. The Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf was career win 323. She won a career-high 121 races last year and has 77 victories this year.

Risenhoover, who is now represented by jockey agent Vince DeGregory, relocated from Texas to Southern California this summer to stick with Terra’s Angel, who is trained by Dallas Keen. Plans for Terra’s Angel are to run in the Surfer Girl on Oct. 9 at Santa Anita, and then the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 3.