Jockey Jose Gomez: 5-question FaceTime

Horse Racing Nation's Andrew Capone caught up with jockey Jose Gomez, who won the 2022 Eclipse Award for apprentice jockey.

Here's their conversation, edited for clarity.

Andrew:

Five Question FaceTime with Jose Gomez. I should say 2022 Eclipse apprentice champion, Jose Gomez. Jose, how's it going?

Jose Gomez:

I'm doing OK. Thank you for having me on, of course.

Andrew:

So let's start right away, I have to ask you, this is amazing to me where you've been in the last year. Talk to me about your first year of riding and what it's been like in New York and the success that you've had.

Jose Gomez:

Well, my first year and I was riding, it was great. You know, I was lucky, I was connected to the right people, and I got an opportunity. I'm just glad. Glad to get the opportunity, you know, and I couldn't be happier. I'm just very grateful.

Andrew:

Twelve percent win percentage, 36 percent in-the-money, were these the goals? What were your goals? When you started out last January, did you have any goals? Or was it just, get out there and ride?

Jose Gomez:

Just to get riding. I mean, hopefully in the future, I am able to get better, just progress through. Just get better.

Andrew:

In that New York jockeys room, what is it like? I'm sure you looked up some of these guys, as you've been wanting to become a jockey, what was it like being in a room with Irad Ortiz, Johnny V., Castellano. I mean, some of the greatest they've ever done it.

Jose Gomez:

I mean, you're just in awe, but you have to act like you can ride with them. It's definitely a dream come true. These guys, I watched all these guys growing up, it's crazy. It's a good feeling.

Andrew:

So on that note, what made you become a jockey? Tell me the story. What is the Jose Gomez story and how did it progress? And how did you end up in New York?

Jose Gomez:

I just always since a little kid, I've wanted to ride. My dad was an exercise rider, he rode a couple races. Everybody in my family just worked with horses. It’s the one thing I've always known. I started working very young, not just around the farms and like on the tracks and stuff. And I was just always in love with the horses, you know, being around them, necessarily was my goal since a little kid – be a jockey, win races.

Andrew:

So I've had jockeys on before and we've spoken about this. And it seems to be the consensus Dad said "Go for it, be a jockey" and Mom said "No way. It's too dangerous." Was there any friction between your parents when you decided, you know what? I'm going to become a jockey. And was there anything that they said you have to do before you can make that step forward?

Jose Gomez:

Yeah. Well, I grew up with just my mom. So my mom always encouraged me to go to school, go to college and be like a lawyer or something. She didn't want me to do this, no. ABut once she started seeing how persistent I was, like about wanting to ride, she told me OK, at least graduate high school, just do that at least, please. Graduate high school. After that, I just started galloping horses, starting to really go for it. I started in Ocala then from Ocala went to New Jersey, and I started galloping for some people. I ended up with Kelly Breen, went down to Florida, back up to Monmouth. Then he just hooked me up with Angel. And that's how I got to New York because he sent me to work with a couple horses in the morning. And Angel was there. That's how it started.

Andrew:

Well, that's great and leads into my third question, which is Angel Cordero Jr. I mean, one of the greatest jockeys that's been around, has been an agent now for a number of jockeys and those jockeys have had immense success. So talk to me about what it's like working with him on a day-to-day basis. I've seen you guys in the golf cart at Saratoga, and it seems like he's always coaching you and you guys have such a tight relationship about moving forward and him giving you pointers and hooking you up. I know you ride for Rudy a lot and there's a good relationship there. Tell me a little bit what it's like working with Angel.

Jose Gomez:

Well, of course, besides him being my agent, he's a great, great mentor and great, great teacher. Yeah, he always lets me know what I can do with what I can improve on. He just he wants me to be good, and I’m very grateful for him.

Andrew:

You know, Angel also worked with you on not just staying in New York. You're a hustler. I know you're driving down to Pennsylvania and constantly moving. Was that your whole plan when you did have the bug – I know you just recently lost it – was to ride as much as you can wherever you can?

Jose Gomez:

Yeah, we really, like I said, Kelly Breen, he was the one that helped me really get started. And he's one person that really encouraged me to do that. But yeah, just trying to stay busy and make the most of the moment, keep momentum. Just try to keep going forward.

Andrew:

I love it. I love it. My next question for you is really about you and your career is just starting and it's just blooming. I think you have a little over 1,500 starts in your career so far. All the winners are great ones. Some of the losers are still great horses. What is the horse where you are like, I made it?

Jose Gomez:

One race was Golden Rocket in the stakes at Saratoga on the grass. That was really, that was one of those times where I was like, I said, whoa, whoa, I crushed it. That feels good. It's always nice winning. But in Saratoga, in a stakes race? It's just the top. No better feeling as an apprentice. I was like, wow.  

Andrew:

I believe I interviewed you right after that race, too. I remember you had you had a smile going from ear to ear. And speaking of Saratoga, I have to talk about two rides you had up there for the coach, D. Wayne Lukas. Talk to me about that experience, because I remember you two standing there. And it was almost like you were you were getting coaching from a trainer. It was it was amazing to watch it as the young jockey there with the oldest trainer and you really were connecting. What's that relationship like? And what is it like to ride for a guy like that?

Jose Gomez:

He's the coach, you know, he'll tell how it is. It was a great feeling. I  was able to ride two horses, two winners, and I rode a couple more. And, yeah, it's funny because every time we're in the winner's circle, he just brings like two kids, like they're just standing there. He brings him in for the picture. And it's just some stuff like that, you know, and it's cool. He wants to bring kids into it, get them involved. It's a nice feeling, it's something cool.

Andrew:

Yeah, a tradition he has been doing forever at Saratoga. It's great to see, and it's great to see you having the ability as an apprentice to ride for a guy like that. I'm sure you have a great relationship with your agent that helps out, and D. Wayne, he is the coach. Final question for you. You know your career is young, a little over a year in. What are your top three races that you want to win in your career? If you had to set your goals today for your career, what are the three races you want to say, I won these three races.

Jose Gomez:

I don't know, I guess it's just great to win a graded stakes honestly. That's great. Of course everybody's dream is the Kentucky Derby. Everyone wants to make it to the Derby, to the big races of course. So definitely the Derby would be that's the top one, a Breeders' Cup race would be nice too, for sure. But everybody wants that.

Andrew:

And then just one last follow-up to that. What about in New York? What's the race that you would want to run in New York? I mean, I've heard some people say the Travers and at the same time others have said it's more about like the Wood Memorial the Cigar or the Whitney something that's a little different. It's not the biggest race but it has some meaning to them.

Jose Gomez:

I thought I'd pick one at each track in New York. I want to win up in Saratoga, the Travers for sure. At Aqueduct I'd want to win the Gotham, it'd be cool. And then at Belmont, the Belmont Stakes.  

Andrew:

You have an amazing start to your career. Congratulations on the apprentice award. Your career is just getting going and you're holding your own in the toughest jockey colony in the entire country by far. There's nothing close to this right now and you're absolutely killing it. I appreciate your time today. Thank you very much.