back in 1996, i went with a friend to see his horse work-out at fair-plex....
it was around 7 a.m. after the work, we would go and see the live
races at santa anita. we had a ex-jockey that had been injured, and
her husband at the time who was also a jockey, did not want her
to get hurt, so she would work horses over at fair-plex not the major
tracks, plus they had 2 small kids. as she was working the horse
her husband along with both of her small kids showed up.
my friend along with trainer martin valenzuela, introduce me to
the jockey, who was martin pedroza. i stated it was a pleasure
to meet him, and asked him how was he doing. he said he was
doing great until he received a phone call from bob baffert,
martin had just won the golden state derby with cavonnier
and that the walter family the owners of cavonnier, wanted
chris mcccarron to ride their horse in the santa anita derby,
martin looked at me and said....load up, this horse will win the
santa anita derby, as well as the kentucky derby.....well he
ran at odds of 9-1 and won the santa anita derby, and just
fell short of winning the kentucky derby.

next story will be about me and the great bill shoemaker!!!!