Apprentice Rider Tori Gandia Wins First Race

Apprentice jockey Tori Gandia earned the first victory in her young riding career on Wednesday. In Hawthorne’s Race Course’s third race, she guided Haran Thoroughbreds’ longshot Direct Breeze to a two and three-quarter length victory. Direct Breeze paid $31.00 but to Tori, that first win has to be priceless.

We will be doing an in depth interview on Ms. Gandia in the near future but just wanted to deliver a brief congratulatory note and get a little bit of a bio from her.

The 19-year-old Gandia is from Ireland.  She started showing horses when she was only six and she attended RACE-Racing Academy and Centre of Education.

Asked how she felt (after the typical treatment that jockeys receive after getting their first victory), Tori was ecstatic. “There are no words to describe this. It was extra special to me because the win was for John Haran and John has done so much for me.”