Louisiana native Tim Thornton continued his dominance of the jockey standings at his home track of Delta Downs posting eight wins for the week leading the panel of racing experts to vote the veteran rider Jockey of the Week for January 6 through January 12.
The weekly honor recognizes jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys’ Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
Thornton started the Delta Downs racing week on Wednesday with a win in the second race for leading trainer Allen Landry aboard race favorite, He’s Just Lucky in an allowance race for four-year-olds and up. The jockey/trainer combination of Thornton/Landry boast a 30% win percentage. Thornton then won the third race for trainer Hance Robbins, Jr. piloting Graceful Star to an eight-length win in a maiden special weight for three-year-old fillies. Thornton made it a three-win day taking the eighth race aboard Mor Big Lee in a claiming event for four-year-olds and up riding for trainer Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez.
On Thursday, Thornton won the third race with race favorite Same Play for trainer Jerry Delhomme in a maiden special weight race. Trainer Alan Klanfer gave a leg up to Thornton in Friday’s third race, a maiden special weight aboard overwhelming race favorite, Congratulera. Thornton picked up another win in race five for trainer Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez piloting favorite City Park to a six and one-quarter length win.
The jockey/trainer combination of Thornton/Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez struck again on Saturday with a one-length win in the sixth race, a maiden claiming event with Upturn Brim and the seventh race with Cajun Eddie in a claiming race. Trainer Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez is currently in second place in the Delta Downs standings and with Thornton in the saddle they combine for a 24% win percentage.
Thornton began his career in 2003 at Arlington Park and rode at Aqueduct and Belmont Park before moving his tack to ride between the Chicago-area tracks of Arlington Park and Hawthorne where he won several riding titles. In 2017, Thornton returned to his Louisiana roots to ride the Thoroughbred meets between Delta Downs and Evangeline Downs where he has had great success winning multiple leading rider titles. A leader in the jockey’s room, the personable and humble veteran rider set a new track record at Delta Downs on October 23, 2021 winning seven races on the day’s 10-race card.
On November 14, 2024, Thornton, 37, posted his 3,000th career win and currently sits atop the jockey standings at the Delta Downs meet with 63 wins. A multiple graded stakes winning rider, Thornton is also the regular rider of Louisiana Horse of the Year, Touchuponastar.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week included Junior Alvarado with two stakes wins at Tampa Bay. Erik Barbaran who also won eight races for the week at Mahoning Valley, Edwin Gonzalez who won a stakes race at Tampa Bay and Jareth Loveberry with a stakes win at Fair Grounds.
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