Apprentice jockey Carmona to ride at Santa Anita opening day

36-year-old vying for Canterbury Park riding title

Serafin Carmona, a 36-year-old apprentice jockey, has mounts at Santa Anita on Friday’s opening day card but will also ride at Canterbury Park through the end of the season. Carmona will have a busy week as he rides eight horses Wednesday and seven Thursday at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, Minn. where he is second in the jockey standings, before he heads west to ride two mounts at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif. Saturday he is back at Canterbury for closing day, riding each of the card’s nine races. Carmona intends to return to Santa Anita after that, to a place that was once home.

While his name may be unfamiliar, it is not to many Southern California racetrackers. Carmona, whose father and uncle were jockeys, galloped horses at California tracks beginning in 2010 working for several trainers including John Sadler and Kristin Mulhall. “I was living my life, doing what I love,” Carmona said. “But I always felt in my heart that I could make it [as a jockey]. I never thought about my age.” He also knew that when the time came he would need to leave California. “I was known as a good hand but I also was considered to be an exercise rider. I wasn’t sure anyone would give me a chance.”

The Panamanian began his professional riding career on July 26, 2023 at Canterbury. He went winless in 82 starts in 2023 racing in Minnesota and Louisiana.

“It wasn’t easy not winning a single race last year and going to Fair Grounds with no wins,” he said.

His first win came January 28 at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

“I’m so glad it happened the way it happened,” he said.

He returned to Canterbury in May and rode six mounts opening night, winning with one for perennial leading trainer Mac Robertson.

“I feel blessed,” Carmona said. “I’m grateful for Minnesota and for Mac. It all started that night. If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t have the success I’ve had.”

Former jockey Chuck Costanza serves as Carmona’s agent. Costanza found plenty of business for his jockey at Canterbury but also booked Carmona to ride at Evangeline Downs, Louisiana Downs and Horseshoe Indianapolis throughout the summer on Canterbury’s dark days. With just three nights of racing remaining in the Canterbury season, Carmona trails Luis Fuentes by three wins for the riding title with 56 wins from 265 starts. He leads the colony in races ridden with earnings of $1,177,436.

Equally effective on turf and dirt at Canterbury, Carmona has won with 20 percent of his grass mounts and 22 percent on the main track. Thirty-two of his 56 wins have been for Robertson, with a 49 percent rate riding the wagering favorite.

Costanza surprised Carmona with a trip to Southern California earlier this month. “He’d already bought the plane tickets and said we were going and he wanted to see Santa Anita,” said Carmona who looked forward to the opportunity to see family and visit the racetrack. “They knew that I was winning races. It makes you feel really good.” That visit and the reception Carmona received led the agent and rider to the decision to make Santa Anita their destination when Canterbury concluded.

That homecoming begins Friday when Carmona will ride the third and eighth races, both for trainer Peter Miller.

 

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