![]() ![]() The couple has been married 15 years and have three children. “He has the last word.”Īrrieta, who just a few years ago started coming to Oaklawn Park, said he and his wife are looking at buying a home in Hot Springs. We have to make split-second decisions.”Īrrieta, who has established himself as one of the top riders at Oaklawn, said his faith makes him step back and be rational when things don’t go the way he would have hoped in a race. It gives me a sense of presence and a sense of security. I enjoy the Old Testament equally as well as the Gospels. “I guess my go-to is Psalms and sometimes Proverbs. “Throughout the day I meditate on certain Scriptures,” he said. (OSV News photo/courtesy Coady Photography) 17, 2022, at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Ark. Jockey David Cabrera wins the Poinsettia Stakes aboard Pretty Birdie Dec. So, I always think, no matter what it is, if I ask with a lot of faith and with all my heart, eventually things come around, and things smooth out.”Ĭourt is another jockey who keeps his faith life front and center during the races at Oaklawn Park. “That miracle that I needed, it came true. “I pray a lot before the races and sometimes after the races, just to thank God for his blessings,” Cabrera said.Ĭabrera said when he was an 8-year-old, he asked Our Lady of Guadalupe to intercede for him because he needed a miracle to help him through a difficult time at school. I go peacefully to work.”Ĭabrera, who won last season’s riding title at Oaklawn Park, is a native of Mexico who grew up Catholic. “Every morning, my mom will text me a prayer, and she lets me know she’s always praying for me. “When I go into the (starting) gate, I always say to myself, ‘I’m in your hands in this race, God,’ and I feel I’m covered,” Torres said. Torres, who was born in Puerto Rico and later moved to Florida, said he does not wear any religious items on the racetrack, but he keeps a Bible in the jockeys’ quarters at Oaklawn Park. “Every time I get on a horse in the post parade, I say, ‘God, please take care of my horse and take care of me, in Jesus’ name.’ I’ve been doing that a long time. “We have the chaplain in the jocks’ room, and he prays for everyone for safety, for everyone who works with the horses,” said jockey Francisco Arrieta, a 34-year-old native of Venezuela. It’s a way of life that leads many to call on their faith for protection.īefore each program of races at Oaklawn Park, track chaplains Rich and Robi Heffington visit the jockeys’ quarters - where there are separate “locker rooms” for men and women. The rules of the sport require an ambulance to follow jockeys around the track every time a race is conducted. The profession of riding racehorses is fulfilling but also dangerous. “I’ve seen them down on their knees, kissing a medal.” “Through the years, I’ve seen some riders adamant they wear a certain saint medal or crucifix,” Court told Arkansas Catholic, Little Rock’s diocesan newspaper. There are other traditions, too, noted jockey Jon Court, a 62-year-old veteran who rides at both Oaklawn Park and tracks in Kentucky. “I’ve seen it,” said Torres, who is the meet’s current leading jockey. It’s an old-school tradition - one in place long before 25-year-old jockey Cristian Torres burst onto the scene at Oaklawn Park. Other jockeys have a Miraculous Medal attached to the back of the helmets they wear each time they get on a racehorse. He has a scapular with an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It’s something he’s continued to carry with him - literally.Ĭabrera, who races at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, is one of many jockeys who wear Catholic sacramentals when competing in races. (OSV News) - Jockey David Cabrera has had a special devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe since he was a child. John the Baptist Church in Hot Springs, Ark. Jockey David Cabrera, in white sweatshirt, helps carry a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a December 2022 procession from St. ![]()
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