Jockey Luan Machado made his way to the winner’s circle five times at Turfway Park Thursday, scoring for five different trainers and five different owners.
Jockey Luan Machado scored with five of his eight mounts at Turfway Park Thursday, Feb. 14. Credit: Coady Photography
Riding eight of the night’s nine races, Machado, 24, won the first four races and the sixth race.
Machado brought 6-1 Winners Expedition from off the pace to win the first race for owner/trainer Ethan West.
Heavily favored My Dark Secret went gate to wire to dominate the second race for owners Tim Geraci and Giuseppe Bellayuto and trainer Jamie Grubbs.
In the third race, Machado guided 4-1 Bode On Tap up the rail to break her maiden for Rock Ridge Racing and trainer Helen Pitts-Blasi. Even-money Thea Bee broke her maiden in the fourth race, getting the best of a stretch battle for owner Marilyn Bramlage and trainer Kelsey Danner.
In the sixth race, 8-5 Vida Leva Eu pressured the leader through half the mile distance before scoring for Equinox, Inc., and trainer Eduardo Caramori.
Machado hails from a racing family; his father, Ronaldo, was a jockey in Brazil and his brother, Muriel, currently rides in Kuwait.
Born in Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil, Machado is a graduate of the jockey school at Hipódromo da Gávea in Rio de Janeiro and had amassed nearly 300 wins before coming to the United States in November.
Machado made the move at the urging of agent Jimmy McNerney. McNerney had noticed Machado when the latter rode Quarteto De Cordas to win the Group 1 Grande Prêmio Brasil, the country’s most prestigious race and a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Win & You’re In qualifier.
Turfway Park
