Juarez enjoying highly successful winter at Gulfstream

Nik Juarez guided Super Spender for a victory in the $110,000 Claiming Crown Canterbury on Opening Day of Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet Dec. 3, kick starting a highly successful winter for the 23-year-old jockey.

Riding at Gulfstream for the second season, Juarez has ridden 39 winners to rank fourth in the jockey standings while riding with the world’s best riders.

“When I went into the Championship Meet my goal, honestly, was to win a race a week. Quickly I surpassed that in the first month of the Championship Meet. I was very happy. Now that I’m fourth in the standings, my goal is to get to 50,” said Juarez, who rode 21 winners during the 2015-2016 Championship Meet. “I’m just setting reasonable goals for myself and just trying to continue the Championship Meet the way it’s going. It’s a dream come true. It’s a dream come true being amongst these riders and these horsemen.”

Juarez has ridden three stakes winners – Bodacious Babe (Margate), Pretty Perfection (Ladies Turf Sprint) and Super Spender – but his most high-profile score may well have come aboard Forever Plus in a $16,000 claiming race Jan. 16. Forever Plus was the 2000th career winner of Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito, one of Juarez’s biggest boosters.

“He’s got a great personality. He’s a good kid. For a young kid, I can’t believe how smart he is,” Zito said. “He’s definitely going to make it. I’m just delighted. I grateful he comes and works my horses. We’ve got a great team, and as far as I’m concerned he can ride every single one of my horses.”

Juarez was only too happy to oblige the Hall of Famer.

“I got him his 2000th winner. It was a great feeling,” Juarez said. “We work hard together in the mornings as well as the afternoon. We put our work in, and it’s paying off.”

Although the up-and-coming rider was born into a Maryland racing family, he had other interests growing up.

“I grew up in a racing family, but I didn’t always want to do it. I did a lot of other stuff, like riding dirt bikes,” said Juarez, who wrestled and played several sports in high school. “It wasn’t until I was 18 that I decided I wanted to ride in races. After that, I’ve been working hard.”

Calixto Juarez, a former jockey and current trainer, put his son on his first winner (Love Heart) on his very first career mount Dec. 14, 2013 and Laurel Park. Juarez’s father continues to support his son’s burgeoning career.