Jockey Perry Ouzts wins 7,000th career race; 'I'm very dedicated'

At age 64, Perry Ouzts on Friday afternoon became the ninth jockey in North American racing to hit 7,000 career victories. Among active riders, only Edgar Prado's 7,015 wins rank ahead of him.

Ouzts hit the mark by riding to victory Emmy's Candy in the third race at Belterra Park, the Ohio track where he also won three races on Thursday afternoon. The final margin under the 1/5 shot was 10 1/2 lengths, and Ouzts celebrated the milestone with a thumbs up coming back to the winner's circle.

An Arkansas native, Ouzts carved his niche as a rider in the Midwest with multiple titles at River Downs and Beulah Park. Appropriately, the adaptable rider hit the 7,000 mark on a pickup mount.

"I don't like all the attention," Ouzts said this week while on the cusp of history. "I just like to lay back, do my job and go home. Just way too much attention."

It's well-earned.

"Like I said, I just come to work," Ouzts said, "ride hard every race I ride -- do my best.

"...I'm very dedicated to this job. I've been blessed that I haven't had a weight problem, and I think that's what's kept me going for a while. Most jockeys, if they fight their weight, they can't do it for more than 20 or 25 years. I haven't had a problem. I've kept the same weight for the last 40 years.

"But I'm very disciplined. I don't sit around and pig out -- ever. I eat the same amount of food every single day. It's just a life thing. When you've done it your whole life, you don't even think about it."