Turfway: Machado is top jockey, Cox wins training title
Turfway Park concluded its 2023 holiday meet on Saturday night with jockey Luan Machado, trainer Brad Cox and owner Dixiana Farms emerging as leaders in their respective categories over the 20-day stand.
Machado, represented by Cory Prewitt, tallied an impressive 21 wins from 98 mounts, or 21 percent, marking his third leading rider title at Turfway Park. Previous titles came in the 2019 winter-spring meet and 2018 holiday meet.
Machado was followed in the standings by apprentice rider Axel Concepcion, who tallied 19 wins. He was seven wins ahead of third-place Fernando De La Cruz.
The holiday meet was Cox’s second leading trainer title at Turfway. His barn, which is represented locally by assistant Tessa Walden, started 20 horses, won seven races and banked earnings of $356,046. Prior to racing on New Year’s Eve, Cox led all North American trainers in earnings for 2023 with $30,775,698.
John Ennis secured second place in the standings with six wins from 27 starts, followed by Bill Morey and Paulo Lobo, tied for third with five wins.
Dixiana Farms, a client of Ennis, tied for the leading owner title with Thirstyacres Racing, Gerald Brooks and Carl Hess Jr., PTK and Blanca Salazar. Dixiana Farms’ runners earned $89,343, surpassing other four leading owners.
Turfway paid an average $2 win mutuel of $16.67 during the meet. The high win mutuels resulted in many six-figure payouts in the Pick 4, 5 and 6 pools. The average 50-cent Pick 4 paid $3,129, and the average 50-cent Pick 5 returned $25,420. The 20-cent Single 6 Jackpot was hit by a single winning combination three times for an average payout of $110,647 to the single ticket holder. If there were multiple winning tickets in the bet, the average payout was $10,002.
Live racing from Turfway Park will continue in the New Year. The 2024 winter-spring season will begin Wednesday and run through Saturday, March 30. Daily first post will be 5:55 p.m. EST except for March 23, Jeff Ruby Steaks Day, which will run in the afternoon.