Turfway Park notes: Jimenez continues to prove himself

FLORENCE, Ky. – Albin Jimenez not only leads the jockey standings at the ongoing holiday meet at Turfway Park, but he has to be considered a big favorite for the longer winter-spring meet that follows.

Jimenez, 22, has been gaining favor with well-known horsemen who have left horses in Kentucky for four months of winter racing, including Mike Maker, Charlie LoPresti, Kellyn Gorder, and Tom Drury. Through Thursday night, Jimenez led the holiday meet with 11 wins.

“No question his biggest strength is his work ethic,” Drury said. “That’s what got me started using him. He’s just a good, solid, all-around rider. He’s one of those who’s going to come give you 110 percent every time.”

Jimenez graduated from the Laffit Pincay Jr. Jockey Training Academy in his native Panama and has won nearly 350 races since he began riding in the United States in April 2010. He and his wife live in nearby Fort Wright, Ky., and his agent is Bert Crawford.

“My dream is the Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup, like every jockey,” Jimenez said. “But I want to get there step-by-step and keep working hard to prove myself.”

The holiday meet ends Dec. 31, and the three-month winter-spring meet starts Jan. 1.

Chaves returns to saddle

Nathan Chaves has three mounts Sunday at Turfway, marking a return to the saddle after nearly three months off. Chaves, 37, is a former leading apprentice at Santa Anita (1996 Oak Tree) and a former mainstay at Emerald Downs in his native Seattle, where in 2002 he notched his greatest career win, which came on Sabertooth in the Grade 3 Longacres Mile.

Chaves, who worked as an exercise rider last winter for Christophe Clement in Florida, won 18 races this summer at Emerald. He has been exercising horses at facilities in the Louisville area in preparation for his Kentucky debut.

Morales appeals

Jockey Roberto Morales has appealed a three-day suspension stemming from a recent riding infraction and will be permitted to continue riding until he drops the appeal or a hearing is held before the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.

Going into Friday, Morales, who tied for the leading jockey title at Ellis Park this summer, trailed only Jimenez atop the holiday meet standings.

Orm will stay at Turfway

Jockey Cory Orm has decided to stay at Turfway for the winter after getting away to an 0-for-31 start at the holiday meet. Orm originally had intended to ride at Oaklawn Park by joining several others who are leaving here shortly, including Morales, Norberto Arroyo Jr., Jon Court, Channing Hill, and Victor Lebron.

Orm is best known for his ride aboard Elliday at Turfway in December 2010, when he was still an apprentice. His right rein broke early in the race, but Orm still was able to deftly guide the mare to victory.

Not seeing double

Bill Nack the horse is not nearly as good at his job as his namesake, the renowned sportswriter widely acknowledged as the foremost expert on Secretariat.

Owned by Preston Madden, Bill Nack the horse is a 3-year-old maiden who was listed at 12-1 for the first race here Friday, a $7,500 maiden claiming sprint. He was winless in three prior tries, all at Mountaineer.

◗ Churchill Downs and its Trackside annex will close for training on Dec. 31, with reopening set for early March. Major construction of the colossal, 170-foot, $12-million video board on the Churchill backstretch is scheduled to begin in mid-January.

◗ Horsemen are advised to check the Turfway condition book or website for the upcoming entry schedule for a busy post-Christmas flurry of racing. Turfway will race every day from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5, except for a single dark day of Thursday, Jan. 2.

◗ Turfway is offering free mammography screenings during its Dec. 27 daytime program. The screenings are being co-sponored by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partnerships and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

◗ Memorial services were held Tuesday in Henryville, Ind., for retired trainer Billy Ashabraner, who died Dec. 14 of heart failure. He was 70. Ashabraner won 429 races during a career that lasted from 1977-2004 and authored a book, “Insights into Racing,” in 2009.