Sutherland riding in career-best form
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Chantal Sutherland began her riding career in 2000, and despite some interruptions along the way has 1,155 victories, 22 of those in graded stakes, and over $55 million in purse earnings on her résumé. But despite those impressive numbers, Sutherland said she’s never been more motivated, or ridden any better, than she is at the present time.
Sutherland enters the final week of the fall session second in the jockey standings, behind only Edgard Zayas, with 26 victories and a win rate of just under 20 percent. The Canadian-born rider had a streak of six consecutive multi-win days, during which she posted 14 victories, end last Friday. The streak came on the heels of a four-win day on Oct. 24. All of which has Sutherland brimming with confidence despite knowing full well the waters will get much deeper with the influx of world-class riders expected to arrive locally for the 2021-22 Championship meet now less than three weeks away.
Sutherland, who had not ridden regularly in South Florida since notching 17 victories during the winter of 2006, had originally planned on riding here at last year’s Championship meet. Those plans were spoiled, however, due to the COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time.
“I came down in December, but they were refusing any rider who hadn’t given them a heads-up in advance,” Sutherland recalled. “It was a pretty strict rule, but I understood under the circumstances. So I took a job working for Ken McPeek and waited until the spring meet to begin. But in a way, that worked in my favor. It gave me an opportunity to really get to know everyone on the grounds and was the beginning of a great journey for me.”
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Sutherland won 46 races during the spring-summer meet while setting the ground work for what was to come this fall.
“I’m so more into riding now after having retired for several years,” Sutherland noted. “I have so much more experience, not only riding but in my life. I took good care of my body. Luckily I’ve always been athletic, and I feel more flexible and so much stronger now. I’ve also been learning to speak Spanish. I think it’s important to be able to communicate with all the horsemen here.”
Sutherland may also be one of if not the hardest working jockey on the grounds at the moment, breezing up to a half-dozen horses some mornings prior to going out to ride a full card in the afternoon.
“I love working horses. I think it’s a huge advantage to get to know a horse in the morning first. I love to give feedback to trainers after a work and I’ve found most of them here are really open to that,” Sutherland said. “I also study a lot prior to the races. I take lots of notes. I watch replays, try to follow how the tracks are playing, what the weather is going to be. All that kind of stuff. I also have a great agent” – Jay Rushing – “and valet, which also helps me a lot.”
Sutherland said she’s looking forward to the challenge of riding at the Championship meet.
“I think I’ve built up a pretty good business, have made some great relationships among the local horsemen, although I understand if some might want to make a change. I’m also looking forward to Irad [Ortiz] being here. Not only can I learn a lot just watching him and all the other great jockeys ride. But we also have the same agent, and I’m thinking there might be a little overflow there,” Sutherland said with a smile.
Due to an editing error, a previous version of this article misstated the name of Chantal Sutherland's agent. He is Jay Rushing, not Steve Rushing.