Portland Meadows Announces Xpressbet Jockey Challenge

Portland Meadows is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual $20,000 XpressBet Jockey Challenge coming up on Monday November 29, 2010.  This year some of the top riders from Southern California will be making the journey to Portland Meadows to compete against the top four riders in the Portland Meadows jockey standings in a four race competition.  The XpressBet Jockey Challenge will feature a point system scoring with the top riders and teams taking home prizes that will total $20,000.  On January 7, 2009, Team Portland Meadows bested Team Golden Gate Fields in the Inaugural Xpressbet Jockey Challenge.  Hall of Famer Russell Baze headlined that team and even scored a victory in the final race of the challenge.  He was quoted after the win as “this being the first time in over 20 years I’ve been in this Winner’s Circle.”

Representing Team Southern California will be Joel Rosario, Joe Talamo, David Flores and Martin Pedroza.  They will be matched up against the current top four riders in the Portland Meadows jockey standings; Joe Crispin, Javier Matias, Mark Anderson and Troy Stillwell.  There will be four designated races contested, all of which will consist of a field of eight runners.

“This will be such a great event,” said Director of Racing Jerry Kohls.  “To have riders of this caliber coming to ride and compete against our best jockeys, it will truly be a great competition.  We look for this event to rank right up there with our new signature event, the $80,000 Portland Meadows Oaks on Saturday January 29, 2011, which is part of the new Black-Eyed Susan 2.2.”