Trevor McCarthy making jump to New York

Jockey Trevor McCarthy hasn’t ridden since being injured in a May spill at Monmouth Park but expects to be cleared to start galloping horses early next month. When he returns to the races around the first of the year, McCarthy will be changing venues and leaving the friendly confines of Maryland for New York.

McCarthy will be teaming up at Aqueduct with agent Steve Rushing, who will continue to book mounts for Irad Ortiz Jr.

Rushing, who lives in Maryland and travels back and forth to New York, has successfully brought Maryland riders to New York in the past. He represented Edgar Prado for 14 years and Ramon Dominguez for 13. Both are in the Hall of Fame.

“I think Trevor’s an extremely talented rider,” Rushing said. “He’s a young up-and-coming star, and I think it’s the right time for him to come to New York.”

McCarthy, 23, has been riding since 2011. He has won six meet riding titles at Laurel Park and Pimlico, and led all riders by wins at those tracks two of the past three years. McCarthy scored his 1,000th career victory shortly before being injured.

He dislocated his left shoulder and broke the pinkie on his right hand in a May 21 accident at Monmouth when his mount jumped a fallen horse and threw him hard to the ground. His doctors recommended he have shoulder surgery so the joint would be 100 percent going forward.

“I’m doing very well, making a full recovery,” McCarthy said. “I have no pain and full range of motion in my shoulder.”

Once his doctors clear him to ride, McCarthy plans to go to Florida and gallop horses for Graham Motion, who has long been one of his top supporters. He will likely join Rushing in New York sometime after Christmas.

“It’s exciting to be moving to New York,” McCarthy said.

The move means McCarthy will be splitting up with agent Scott Silver, with whom he has had great success since the early days of his career.

McCarthy said he told Silver several months ago he was thinking about changing circuits.

“The original plan was to ride out 2018 in Maryland and then for me and Scott to go to Gulfstream for the 2019 winter meet,” McCarthy said.

But when Rushing reached out to McCarthy, he decided the offer was is in his best interests.

“I think it’s a great opportunity and I have to take a chance,” McCarthy said.

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