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| GARRETT GOMEZ |
| Jeff Coady/Coady Photography |
Jockey Garrett Gomez was named the winner of the Bill Shoemaker Award as the outstanding jockey for the 2008 Breeders’ Cup World championships.
Gomez, who also won the award in 2005 and ’07, won four of the 14 races during the two-day Breeders’ Cup program.
Gomez kicked off the weekend with a four-length romp aboard Ventura on Friday in the Sentient Flight Group Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. He continued on Saturday with a three-win day, earning earning a clear triumph aboard Albertus Maximus in the TVG Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. He added a victory aboard Midshipman in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and capped the day with a win aboard Midnight Lute in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1).
“I enjoyed all of them,” Gomez said. “Any time you end up in the winner's circle and especially on a day like today, it just gives you an amazing feeling. You know, I was glad to win one, and I was wanting to win more coming into today. When I got my first one today, I thought, ‘Here we go, maybe we'll get lucky and get another one.’ Then another one rolled over, and I ended up winning another one. And it was like, ‘Wow, this is amazing.’ “
Gomez became the first rider in the 25-year history of the Breeders’ Cup to ride more than two winners. He now has eight career wins in the event, tied for fifth with Racing Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens.
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