Preakness: Md. native Juarez has 1st mount in state's biggest race

When Nik Juarez rides American Promise in the Preakness at Pimlico Race Course next Saturday, it will be the 31-year-old Marylander's first mount in his home state’s biggest race.

“It’s a dream come true for every rider to ride the Derby,” said Juarez, who comes from a longtime Maryland racing family. “For me, I’m super-excited to ride the Preakness, to be home at Old Hilltop, Pimlico, lots of good memories there. It’s another dream come true.”

Juarez, who grew up in Westminster, north of Baltimore, shifted circuits over the years from Maryland to New Jersey-Florida and then to Arkansas for the last few winters.

He began riding for seven-time Preakness winner D. Wayne Lukas at Oaklawn, which led to Juarez traveling to Colonial Downs to ride American Promise for the first time in the Virginia Derby. After a 7 3/4-length victory, Juarez was rewarded with his first Kentucky Derby mount. If that 16th-place outcome was disappointing, Juarez is undaunted going into the 1 3/16-mile middle jewel of the Triple Crown.

“American Promise was able to show us he has the speed, that size, and he really won going away at Colonial Downs,” Juarez said Wednesday morning at Churchill Downs, where he is riding this spring at the suggestion of his agent, Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens. “The Kentucky Derby was awesome. Just being here in Louisville, being around ‘the coach,’ seeing him in his element. To be a part of his team was really amazing. And being represented by Gary Stevens, it was a dream come true.”

Of course, the actual running of the Derby can at times be more akin to a nightmare.

“It was a bit of a dogfight,” Juarez said. “We had Citizen Bull, who broke outward. Two horses to my inside were impeded. I had to make a trip for American Promise the best way I could. Luckily, getting into that first turn, it was where we wanted to be, and he was able to avoid most of that trouble. There were many variables. It’s the Kentucky Derby, you’re dealing with that many horses. I just think he got a lot out of the race, and he’s still American Promise.”

American Promise had another scheduled walk day before he resumes training Thursday.