Champion jockey Mikey Mitchell remembers riding eight races in a day. Once. In New Zealand at the end of a long season. Today at Middleburg Spring Races, he rides 10 races. Ten jump races, that’s 24 1/2 miles if you’re counting. Has it ever been done?
“Not sure, some of those boys in Europe will fly from one to another but they would struggle to get 10 in a day,” Mitchell said. “We’re not like the flat boys who do it five, six days a week.”
Certainly not in this country. Dunwoody when he was on scent of another championship? McCoy in his quest for 300 wins in a season? Aitcheson, Smithwick, Adams when jump racing was king? Delve into the history department, ask Alistair Downe, call Guinness. Our guess? Never.
At our count, Mitchell and Gerard Galligan (he throws in a flat race to make it 11) are the only two jockeys riding all jump races on a historical day in American jump racing history. It’ll be a trivia question one day. Spring races in June. No spectators. Jockeys riding 10 jump races.
Today it’s less about riding 10 races and more about riding for the first time since last season. For Mitchell, he rode one in England in December, a distant prep for racing in June.
“When I rode eight, that was at the end of the season in New Zealand when I had been riding nonstop for four months,” Mitchell said. “This is different, my last ride was in England in December. It’s going to be a challenge. I tried to be as fit as I can with the timeframe. We’ll find out.”
There is fit. And there is racing fit.
“It’s the unknown. It’s nice when you have a few point-to-points and then a couple of horses at Aiken and a couple at Camden, you kind of work your way into the season, steady away,” Mitchell said. “We are all in the same boat. I’m happy with where I’m at, I’ve been running a lot, the gyms are closed, so you had to branch out. I’ve done a little bit of boxing, a little bit of Pilates, just trying to change the exercises to keep as fit as you can while you’re stuck on the sidelines with no racing.”
Mitchell works full time for champion trainer Jack Fisher, that will hone the muscles and prime the engine every morning. Schooling sessions at Shawan Downs last week, for horses and jockeys, served as spring training this year.
“The horses have been up in work for a long time, jogging, back up to schooling, back up to breezing, then let down again, then brought back again,” Mitchell said. “They’ll be fitter than I expect, they’ve been in work a long time, they have a good base to him. It’s a shame we couldn’t have gotten going earlier but we’ll take what we’ve got and make the best of it. I didn’t think it would happen. It’s a shock that they’ve been able to pull it off.”
Here’s a look at Mitchell’s 10 rides.
Race 2. Allowance Hurdle. Whitman’s Poetry. Veteran of 10 jump races, Fisher trainee makes first start since two aborted attempts at Saratoga. “He’s been a consistent runner, he prefers the hunt meets to the tracks, I don’t think Saratoga is his course, he was unlucky in one and hit a fence in another, back to the hunt meets. It’s a hot race, there are a couple of pretty good handy horses but he’s the benchmark, he’s been placing in this division for two years.”
Race 3. Temple Gwathmey Stakes. Moscato. British-bred 9-year-old won this last year and mixed it up with the best all last season after missing all of 2018. Joins New Member and Scorpiancer in the Fisher arsenal for the Grade 3 hurdle. “He’s very good. He’s gotten stronger, he’s coming in hard fit and ready to go. I know he won pretty convincingly last year but sometimes horses coming off an injury it takes them a run or two to find their feet, he went from strength to strength last year and I’m very pleased with where he’s at. I wouldn’t keep too close an eye on the other two, I’m more concerned with how Moscato is doing than the other two. Just trying to get him well balanced and sound as you can. You’re always looking at them, just getting a bit of reassurance that you’re on the right one. When you’ve got your horse and you’re committed to that horse, then you tend to focus on that one and prioritize that one.”
Race 4. Middleburg Hunt Cup. Doc Cebu. Mitchell rides former champion timber horse for the first time, takes on five-time winner over timber Andi’amu and stablemate Schoodic. “I never thought I would be in the timber circuit like this. He dipped a bit out of form last year, he was unlucky at My Lady’s Manor. He’s done well with time, he did a little bit of hunting and he’s raring to go. There are some with more speed than him but if he jumps and gets back to form that he was in a couple of years ago, then it’s anybody’s game. No choice, Jack put me on him.”
Race 5. Virginia Equine Alliance 4-year-old Maiden Hurdle. Fast Car. Fisher trainee finished fourth and third in two starts last year. “He’s a little bit green still, he ran pretty consistently as a 3-year-old, mentally he needed some time to mature. He’s got speed, it’s just mentally getting him to relax, just getting his head in the game. Hopefully he can concentrate and grow up this year.”
Race 6. Virginia Equine Alliance Maiden Hurdle. Lonely Weekend. Mitchell picks up the ride for Todd Wyatt. The 5-year-old finished second at Callaway in November. “Good, consistent horse. Finished off last year in good form, hoping the experience shines through. I was happy with him at Shawan. There are a couple with a bit of speed in there, a couple first-time starters so you don’t know.”
Race 7. Filly & Mare Maiden Hurdle. High Sierra. Two-time winner on the flat makes hurdle debut for Jonathan Sheppard’s assistant, Keri Brion. “She’s Inverness’ sister, who I was stakes placed on, she’s similar She’s a lovely, big mare, jumps well, just hoping for a good run. I’ve schooled her four or five times, including Shawan. She’s done plenty.”
Race 8. Maiden Claiming Hurdle. Bobby The Boss. Three-time winner on the flat missed all of last season after finishing fourth in hurdle debut at Charleston in 2018. “He was a bit unlucky at the start of last year, he ran at Warrenton and got an injury, he’s had a lot of time off. He’s a big, galloping type. Hopefully he’ll run a good race.”
Race 9. Maiden Claiming Hurdle. Cotton House. Ricky Hendriks trainee graduates from juvenile division and drops a clasas. Mitchell rides for the first time. “I think I schooled him once or twice for Ricky last year. He had a really good run at Shawan but just couldn’t back it up at Far Hills. Ricky gave him the time to mature, dropping in class into a maiden claimer should be his spot.”
Race 10. Maiden Timber. Flash Jackson. Ann Jackson’s homebred makes timber debut after winning once over hurdles. “That was a pick-up ride. I rode him twice over hurdles, actually at Middleburg, ran second to Iranistan. I schooled him the other day, he was very impressive, I was very happy with him. He’s consistent, probably one for the future, just try to give him a good experience. There are a couple with a bit more speed than him, but he’s an honest horse and hopefully we’ll have a nice run around and see where we place.”
Race 11. Alfred M. Hunt Steeplechasae. Katnap. Willie Dowling trainee won over the course in 2018, one of three wins since coming here from Ireland to run in the 2017 Grand National for Joseph O’Brien. “The old boy. I sat on him when he came over for O’Brien when he stayed with Ricky. Lovely, lovely horse. Won over the course before, probably good coming in fresh, schooled him around Shawan the other day. He’s a very economical horse, just hope he wants to do it and turns up in good form because he’s got the class there. If he runs well fresh, we might have a bold showing from him.”
