Veteran rider Berry plans to retire in December

Cliff Berry’s talent, work ethic, professionalism, and honesty have helped him notch more than 20 riding titles in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas during his 35 years in the saddle. But come December, the 52-year-old journeyman plans to call it a career. Berry presently is riding at Lone Star Park near Dallas, and when the meet ends in July, he will head to his home track of Remington Park in Oklahoma City.

“I’m thinking about retiring after Remington,” Berry said. “That’s what my plan is right now.”

As of Friday, Berry, the all-time winningest rider at both Lone Star and Remington, was five wins from his 1,000th victory at Lone Star. Overall, the rider has won 4,375 Thoroughbred races from 27,520 starts for mount earnings of more than $65 million. Berry, who won the first Thoroughbred race of his career June 3, 1981, at Louisiana Downs, plans to retire to Haughton, La., a town bordering that track.

“We own a place there, eight acres, and we’re going to build a house,” Berry said of plans with his wife, Kim. The Joplin, Mo., native has two sons, Baylin, 26, and Cale, 17.

Berry said he has been considering retirement for the past year.

“I just want to be able to walk away feeling good,” Berry said. “My knees are a little arthritic. I enjoyed riding. I had a good career. I never won the Kentucky Derby, but I’ve done well, better than I thought I would. I won races, made a lot of good friends on the racetrack. I’ve done about everything I can do.”

Berry was set to ride a contender in the 2009 Kentucky Derby, but his Rebel Stakes winner, Win Willy, missed the race. Berry has won 232 stakes in his career, among them the Super Derby with Going Ballistic, the Oaklawn Handicap with Win Willy, the Cornhusker Handicap and Texas Mile with Jonesboro, and the Oklahoma Derby with Comic Truth.

Berry also tied a North American riding record Dec. 10, 2010, when he won with all seven of his mounts on a card at Remington. The feat came one night following a five-win day. Berry’s other notable accomplishments include 16 titles at Remington Park, five at Lone Star Park, and two at Oaklawn Park.

Berry’s final ride at Oaklawn was a memorable one, a win with Promise Me Silver in the $100,000 Instant Racing Stakes on the undercard of the Arkansas Derby.

“I thought that was a fitting end, my last ride at Oaklawn,” said Berry. “She’s an awesome filly.”

Berry, who regularly teams with Promise Me Silver’s trainer, Bret Calhoun, also has strong ties to a number of other horsemen, including trainers Roger Engel and Joe Offolter. In retirement, the rider said he plans to continue playing guitar with various bands and pursuing hobbies such as restoring old cars. But before he bows out, Berry said he’d like to hit 4,400 Thoroughbred wins by the close of Remington on Dec. 13.

“I think I’ll miss it,” he said of race riding. “I’ve done it for 35 years.”

Cy Seven returns to grass

Cy Seven, who set a course record for 1 1/16 miles on turf in February at Sam Houston, will be returning to grass for the fourth race Sunday at Lone Star. He was fifth in the Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap in his most recent out May 25 and will be moving into a second-level turf allowance at a mile Sunday. David Cabrera has the mount for trainer Jack Van Berg.

Also on the card, seven-time stakes winner Lasting Bubbles makes a rare turf start in the first race, a $15,000 starter allowance for fillies and mares at five furlongs. Among her rivals is Tight Britches, a winner of 15 of 25 starts who is making her turf debut and is a full sibling to two turf winners. Iram Diego will ride Lasting Bubbles for trainer Kevin Peek.

Apprentice Ruhe wins debut

Apprentice Austin Ruhe, 18, won with the first mount of his career Wednesday at The Downs of Albuquerque, according to a release from the track. Ruhe had success aboard No Walkin Joe, a 9-year-old veteran who was a 13-1 shot for owner and trainer Brent Swopes.

Ruhe was born in Lexington, Ky., and is a recent graduate of the city’s Bryan Station High School.

Louisiana Downs-based apprentice Erica Murray has won with five of her first 22 mounts, with her first victory coming at the track May 9.

◗ Multiple stakes winner Isn’t He Clever is being pointed for the $150,000 Downs at Albuquerque Handicap on June 13, said trainer Henry Dominguez. There were 22 horses nominated to the 1 1/8-mile race, including Proceed and Texas Air, who are highweighted at 123 pounds, and Code West, weighted next at 122. Isn’t He Clever also will carry 122 pounds.

◗ Dr. Nat Kieffer and the late Jim Jackson and Bill McMorris Sr. will be honored with lifetime achievement awards during the Texas Thoroughbred Association’s annual banquet June 20, according to a release from the organization. The event will be at Lone Star.