MACAU: First Winner For Jurado

Monday, 18 June 2012: Much travelled Panamanian rider Luis Jurado kicked home his first in Macau on Saturday.

He was of the mark when Sun Wealthy arrived in time to win the Class 5 over 1100 metres.

Sun Wealthy slogged through the heavy conditions to beat Handsome Run (Fausto Durso) by a length, with race favorite Wonderful Steed (Manoel Nunes) in third.

Jurado, who is licenced in Macau until the end of the season commenced his riding career as an apprentice in Panama City where he rode with success for six years before being enticed to Saudi Arabia.

“It has given me a lot of pleasure to ride around the world especially since I had my start as a young kid in Panama.” Jurado said.

“Saudi Arabia was good for me it was tough at first but I stayed there for eight years and was champion jockey three times.

“I decided to try my luck in the States which is also tough as you know and in 2009 I moved to Calder race track in Miami.

'Once again a new place can be tough going but I worked hard and I was third in the jockeys' championships in 2010 and I have done well since then.”

Jurado's brother-in-law is successful Macau based rider Louis Corrales.

He is keen to establish himself in the enclave and has topped the trackwork list on numerous occasions as one of the busiest jockeys' of the morning.