Member of an Elite Group:
Jockey Eibar Coa became the fourth jockey in history to win 300 races in one year at New York Racing Association tracks when he guided Significant Other to victory in the fourth race at Aqueduct on December 29, 2006. Coa, a 35-year-old native of Venezuela, joins the elite company of Hall of Fame jockeys Steve Cauthen, Angel Cordero Jr. and Mike Smith as the only riders to win 300 races at NYRA tracks. Cauthen won 433 races in 1977, Cordero won 340 in 1982 and 309 in 1983, while Smith piloted 330 winners in 1991 and 313 in 1993.His Comments on the Milestone Win:
After the win Coa said, "For sure, I'm very happy. I don't think this was something that I had in my mind in the beginning of the year. It's an honor to get it with Cordero, Mike Smith and Cauthen. Everybody knows it's not something that's easy to do. Hopefully, I'll do it again."He added, "Since last year when I've been working with my new agent, Matt Muzikar, things have turned out much better. We make a perfect team. We get along so good and everyone likes us together."
Titles and Big Wins for 2006:
Riding titles won by Coa this year include the 2005-2006 inner track meet, the Aqueduct spring and fall meets, and the Belmont Fall Championship meet in which he tied Edgar Prado for the lead with 38 winners. Coa fell one win short of tying Prado for the Belmont spring meet and finished sixth at Saratoga after a slow start. Coa scored Grade 1 stakes victories this year with Go Deputy in the Sword Dancer and Swap Fliparoo in the Test.His Beginnings:
Coa was born February 2, 1971, in Monagas, Venezuela. He was a five-time judo champion in Venezuela between the ages of 8 and 18, but left that sport to go to jockey school from 1989-1991. He started riding in his native land in 1992, but with one racetrack and more than 200 jockeys, competition was tough especially for an apprentice. He immigrated to the United States to ride in 1993, but returned home to Venezuela in 1994. He then moved back to stay in the United States in 1996, starting in Florida.A Top Jockey:
Since beginning his career in America in 1993, Coa has won 3,194 races from over 16,600 starts and his mounts have earned over $86 million.In addition to New York, he has led the jockey standings at Calder, Tropical-at-Calder, Gulfstream Park and Monmouth Park. He also rode six winners from nine mounts on one card at Calder on Sept. 7, 1998, tying a track record for most wins on one card.
