Vinnie bednar at Los Al
Jan 13, 2013 15:46:29 GMT -5
Post by racinggal on Jan 13, 2013 15:46:29 GMT -5
Los Alamitos Race Course track announcer and morning line maker Ed Burgart said all that needed to be said about the track’s newest top apprentice rider during his call of the fifth race on Friday, January 11.
“Vinnie Bednar is riding super right now,” said Burgart from his high perch at the Orange County track.
It was Bednar’s second Thoroughbred win of the evening and the fourth of five wins during this young season at Los Alamitos. The win came with Hugo Catalan’s Full On and it came only 90 minutes after guiding Millie Howlett’s Sally’s Blade to victory in the first race of the night.
Burgart’s call echoed what many observers likely thought as Bednar maneuvered Full On to victory from along the rail. And it was exactly what Bednar’s mentor, the well-known horseman Frank Garza, had on his mind as he watched his pupil shine again at the 5/8th Los Al oval.
Garza worked with Bednar at his jockey school in Somis, California for four months. In fact, this reporter got a call from Garza in early December as Bednar was preparing to make his local debut.
“A jockey from my school set to ride at Los Alamitos,” Garza said. “He’s a good kid and he’s a good rider.”
Bednar finished second aboard Allen J. Aldrich’s Stylefree in his first time around the turn here and his great work has continued with each and every night. On the homepage of Garza’s Jockey School website (http://frankgarzajockeyschool.com) in bright, bold letters is the saying “Winning doesn’t come easy.”
It took Bednar 11 mounts to win his first race at Los Alamitos with Gannicus on December 23 and while hard work and determination is certainly behind each of his wins since his first, Bednar is indeed making things look easy. In 15 mounts in 2013, Bednar has won five races and finished in the money in five other of those mounts. His victory aboard Poppy Peak on January 6 was his best yet, as it came against $5,000 conditioned claimers, which is one of the highest racing levels for Thoroughbreds at Los Alamitos.
“I’m thrilled with the success he’s enjoying,” Garza added. “He used to drive from Monrovia to my place very morning. It was a 1 ½ hour drive and he never missed a day rain or shine. He’s very dedicated to his profession. I used to ask him if he wanted to take a day off and he would never take me up on it. He would beat me to the ranch all the time. I live only 15 minutes from the ranch, but by the time I’d get there he was already there waiting for me in his red truck. He’s one of the few that have ever beaten me to the ranch in the morning.
“He’s a hard worker and he learned to come out of the gates aboard a Quarter Horse. I think that’s helping him right now. I would tell him ‘If you are trying to come from behind and you are sitting on a nice horse, just be still and try to get to the rail. It’ll open up for you in the stretch. He did that the other night (on Full On). He’s a tough kid and he used to be in motorcycle races so he’s got that experience.”
Bednar was headed to a professional career in dirt bike racing until a freak accident shattered this dream.
“I was racing against the top guy and I just outshot a jump,” he said. “I was 17 when it happened. I shattered both of my ankles and was in wheelchair for about six months. I shrunk four inches because of the accident. That pretty much ended my chances to go pro,” he said.
“I started doing construction work and my boss was involved in horses. He had some Thoroughbreds with Vladimir Cerin across town. He kept telling me ‘You’re a short, strong guy and you could be a jockey. You are wasting your time working for me.’ I had never been on a horse before, but I figured I would give it a shot. I looked online for jockey schools and I found Frank Garza. My parents were a big help. I could not have done it without them. I wanted to make the most out of the school every single day I was there.”
A 2010 graduate of Monrovia High School, Bednar started exercising horses at Santa Anita before leaving for Phoenix in November of 2011. He rode his first race at Turf Paradise on December 11 of that year and on December 12 he was posing for his first winning photograph as a jockey. Bednar would go on to win 19 races at the meet to become the top apprentice rider. He returned to the tough Southern California Thoroughbred circuit and spent time riding at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Del Mar, Fairplex Park. He also returned to Phoenix for a riding stint there.
“I was struggling without an agent,” he said. “I just wanted to find a place where I could be competitive and win some races. I started working with agent Neil Bricks here at Los Alamitos and I’m happy with how things have worked out. The hard work is paying off and I’m honored to have this opportunity. I am still riding at Santa Anita. I had a horse on Saturday afternoon there and then I came here to ride. I am grateful for the opportunity to be here. I believe that things happen for a reason. I got injured, but I think I’ve made the most out of a bad situation. It led me to do this and this is something that I’m really enjoying.”
Bednar is now zooming his way to the top of the standings at Los Alamitos. On Saturday night, he impressed Burgart once again after piloting Limerick Lane to victory in the fifth.
“Vinnie Bednar getting better each night he rides here,” was Burgart’s call at the wire.
www.losalamitos.com/News.aspx?id=1554
“Vinnie Bednar is riding super right now,” said Burgart from his high perch at the Orange County track.
It was Bednar’s second Thoroughbred win of the evening and the fourth of five wins during this young season at Los Alamitos. The win came with Hugo Catalan’s Full On and it came only 90 minutes after guiding Millie Howlett’s Sally’s Blade to victory in the first race of the night.
Burgart’s call echoed what many observers likely thought as Bednar maneuvered Full On to victory from along the rail. And it was exactly what Bednar’s mentor, the well-known horseman Frank Garza, had on his mind as he watched his pupil shine again at the 5/8th Los Al oval.
Garza worked with Bednar at his jockey school in Somis, California for four months. In fact, this reporter got a call from Garza in early December as Bednar was preparing to make his local debut.
“A jockey from my school set to ride at Los Alamitos,” Garza said. “He’s a good kid and he’s a good rider.”
Bednar finished second aboard Allen J. Aldrich’s Stylefree in his first time around the turn here and his great work has continued with each and every night. On the homepage of Garza’s Jockey School website (http://frankgarzajockeyschool.com) in bright, bold letters is the saying “Winning doesn’t come easy.”
It took Bednar 11 mounts to win his first race at Los Alamitos with Gannicus on December 23 and while hard work and determination is certainly behind each of his wins since his first, Bednar is indeed making things look easy. In 15 mounts in 2013, Bednar has won five races and finished in the money in five other of those mounts. His victory aboard Poppy Peak on January 6 was his best yet, as it came against $5,000 conditioned claimers, which is one of the highest racing levels for Thoroughbreds at Los Alamitos.
“I’m thrilled with the success he’s enjoying,” Garza added. “He used to drive from Monrovia to my place very morning. It was a 1 ½ hour drive and he never missed a day rain or shine. He’s very dedicated to his profession. I used to ask him if he wanted to take a day off and he would never take me up on it. He would beat me to the ranch all the time. I live only 15 minutes from the ranch, but by the time I’d get there he was already there waiting for me in his red truck. He’s one of the few that have ever beaten me to the ranch in the morning.
“He’s a hard worker and he learned to come out of the gates aboard a Quarter Horse. I think that’s helping him right now. I would tell him ‘If you are trying to come from behind and you are sitting on a nice horse, just be still and try to get to the rail. It’ll open up for you in the stretch. He did that the other night (on Full On). He’s a tough kid and he used to be in motorcycle races so he’s got that experience.”
Bednar was headed to a professional career in dirt bike racing until a freak accident shattered this dream.
“I was racing against the top guy and I just outshot a jump,” he said. “I was 17 when it happened. I shattered both of my ankles and was in wheelchair for about six months. I shrunk four inches because of the accident. That pretty much ended my chances to go pro,” he said.
“I started doing construction work and my boss was involved in horses. He had some Thoroughbreds with Vladimir Cerin across town. He kept telling me ‘You’re a short, strong guy and you could be a jockey. You are wasting your time working for me.’ I had never been on a horse before, but I figured I would give it a shot. I looked online for jockey schools and I found Frank Garza. My parents were a big help. I could not have done it without them. I wanted to make the most out of the school every single day I was there.”
A 2010 graduate of Monrovia High School, Bednar started exercising horses at Santa Anita before leaving for Phoenix in November of 2011. He rode his first race at Turf Paradise on December 11 of that year and on December 12 he was posing for his first winning photograph as a jockey. Bednar would go on to win 19 races at the meet to become the top apprentice rider. He returned to the tough Southern California Thoroughbred circuit and spent time riding at Santa Anita, Hollywood Park, Del Mar, Fairplex Park. He also returned to Phoenix for a riding stint there.
“I was struggling without an agent,” he said. “I just wanted to find a place where I could be competitive and win some races. I started working with agent Neil Bricks here at Los Alamitos and I’m happy with how things have worked out. The hard work is paying off and I’m honored to have this opportunity. I am still riding at Santa Anita. I had a horse on Saturday afternoon there and then I came here to ride. I am grateful for the opportunity to be here. I believe that things happen for a reason. I got injured, but I think I’ve made the most out of a bad situation. It led me to do this and this is something that I’m really enjoying.”
Bednar is now zooming his way to the top of the standings at Los Alamitos. On Saturday night, he impressed Burgart once again after piloting Limerick Lane to victory in the fifth.
“Vinnie Bednar getting better each night he rides here,” was Burgart’s call at the wire.
www.losalamitos.com/News.aspx?id=1554