Let the Races Begin!

Let the races begin! Opening weekend at Oaklawn starts tomorrow (January 11)! Jockey Rosemary Homeister Jr is among the new riders that is racing at Oaklawn this season.

Homeister Jr. is the second-leading female rider of all time behind only Julie Krone.

According to the folks at Oaklawn,  Homeister Jr came to Hot Springs early and has worked for as many trainers as possible to prep for the season. She is coming off a solid third in the standings at Arlington Park and a top 10 finish at Hawthorne last year. She will be riding at Oaklawn for the first time in her 20-year career.

Homeister, Jr has quite a list of credentials to her name, being the first female to win the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey in the United States. She is also in the Calder Race Course Hall of Fame

Among the other new faces are jockeys E.T. Baird, Victor Lebron, and Robby Albarado, who hasn’t ridden at Oaklawn regularly since 1997, when he was leading rider.

The complete field for Saturday’s Dixie Belle, in post-position order, with odds: No Free Ride, Rosemary Homeister Jr.; Baby Princess, Ramon Vazquez; American Sugar, Alex Birzer; Little Miss Fitz, Ricardo Santana Jr.; Sheila Tequila, Lindey Wade; Neith, Victor Lebron, and Lady Stonewell, Robby Albarado.