Ry Eikleberry won his first race as a jockey at Arapahoe Park in Denver in 2005.
Thirteen years later, on New Year’s Eve 2018, he would win his 2,000th race in Phoenix at Turf Paradise Race Course.
 
“Gratitude is what I feel,” said Eikleberry, 29, after winning Monday’s early daily double to notch 1,999 wins with first race winner My Expression ($2.60) and then one race later his 2,000th  victory with Dust Roller ($10.20). “Gratitude to all those people and horses who helped me reach this plateau.”
 
Not content to dwell on his accomplishment, Eikleberry then completed the hat trick by winning the third race with Ez Ez Ez ($3.20) for win number 2,001. All three consecutive wins coming for his Dad, trainer Kevin Eikleberry, a third generation horseman, who annually ranks among the Top 10 trainers at Turf Paradise. 
 
Ry, born and raised in Cave Creek, a small town about 18 miles north of Turf Paradise, was destined to be a jockey before even being given a leg up to the saddle.   
 
“My Dad put me on my first horse when I was two years old,” said Ry. “By the time I was three, I was getting on them by myself.”
 
Ry distinguished himself early in his career by capturing three consecutive Leading Rider titles from 2008-2011 at Turf Paradise. Then it was on to the New Mexico circuit of tracks, where he now primarily plies his trade, with an occasional visit to Canterbury Park in Minnesota during the summer.  
 
Ry maintains a vegetarian diet which keeps him lean and weight right for riding assignments. But at 5’10” in height, he is tall for a jockey.
 
“So far so good,” said Ry. “I’d like to do this for another 10 years. That’s my goal.”
 
Ry’s final mount of the day in the $53,972 ATBA Fall Sales Stakes was aboard his Dad’s-trained Fortified Effort who would tire to finish second to Yo Y Me ridden by Scott Stevens. The winner is also trained by Kevin Eikleberry, giving the trainer half of the victories on the eight-race card.

Two-year-old victories went to Twirling Devon in the $30,000 Arizona Juvenile Fillies Stakes while Dr John H took the 30,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes Saturday at Turf Paradise.
 
Arizona Juvenile Fillies
Twirling Devon ($9.20) received a confident ride by Sahin Civaci to be a neck best of stablemate Senordiablo with Free My Soul third in the field of six juvenile fillies.
 
Both the winner and runner up are owned by Tim Bankers and trained by Manny Ortiz, Sr. The Florida-bred Twirling Devon covered the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.81 for her second win in five outings and earnings of $41,721.
 
Lost in the Fog
Dr John H ($8.40), with Aaron Gryder in for the mount, remained undefeated in two starts by inching out a nose decision in a four-horse photo-finish with Call Waiting finishing second a nose in front of Prince Pierce who finished third, a neck in front of Keyson who finished fourth in the field of 8 2-year-olds.
 
Owned by North American Thoroughbred Corporation and trained by the only female rider to win a local leading rider’s title, Sandi Gann, the Washington bred Dr John H, covered the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.91 and now has earnings of $25,637.

Two-year-old victories went to Twirling Devon in the $30,000 Arizona Juvenile Fillies Stakes while Dr John H took the 30,000 Lost in the Fog Stakes Saturday at Turf Paradise.
 
Arizona Juvenile Fillies
Twirling Devon ($9.20) received a confident ride by Sahin Civaci to be a neck best of stablemate Senordiablo with Free My Soul third in the field of six juvenile fillies.
 
Both the winner and runner up are owned by Tim Bankers and trained by Manny Ortiz, Sr. The Florida-bred Twirling Devon covered the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.81 for her second win in five outings and earnings of $41,721.
 
Lost in the Fog
Dr John H ($8.40), with Aaron Gryder in for the mount, remained undefeated in two starts by inching out a nose decision in a four-horse photo-finish with Call Waiting finishing second a nose in front of Prince Pierce who finished third, a neck in front of Keyson who finished fourth in the field of 8 2-year-olds.
 
Owned by North American Thoroughbred Corporation and trained by the only female rider to win a local leading rider’s title, Sandi Gann, the Washington bred Dr John H, covered the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:16.91 and now has earnings of $25,637.

The two top leaders of their respective divisions, trainer Robertino Diodoro and jockey Francisco Arrieta took the laurels by winning the $25,000 Cave Creek Stakes and $20,000 Last Chance Derby Wednesday at Turf Paradise.
 
Front running tactics was the key to victory in both stakes as Arrieta gunned the favored Izzy the Warrior ($5.20) to the lead in the Cave Creek Stakes, posting a 1 ¾  win over Freedom Hill with Don’t Hold Me Back third in the field of eight older horses.
 
Izzy the Warrior traveled the one mile in 1:35.34 for owner Randy Marriott for his seventh win in 20 efforts and earnings of $177,883.
 
Same players different horse as favorite Gato Guapo ($4.00) went wire to wire to win the Last Chance Derby, coasting to an 11 length win over Shimshine with Regal Max third in the field of eight 3-year-olds.
 
Owned by Charles Garvey, Gato Guapo raced the one mile in 1:35.24 for his third win in 11 races for earnings of $50,260.

Rents Over Due and upsetter Keyson took their respective divisions of the Arizona Breeders’ Futurities Saturday at Turf Paradise.
 
$38,400 Az Breeders’ Futurity, Fillies
Leading rider Francisco Arrieta scooted Rents Over Due ($9.20) to the lead and was able to withstand the closing rush of 1-2 favorite Let Me Fly to win by 2 lengths with Shady Lane third in the field of seven 2-year-old fillies.
 
Trained by Dan McFarlane for Sawyer Cattle Company, Rents Over Due raced the 6 furlongs in 1:12.00 for her second win in five efforts for earnings of $39,951.
 
$25,000 Cactus Flower Stakes
Chad Lindsay and Sierrita ($10.00) took the overland route to post a 2 ¼ length victory over McKenzie Honey with Dreamy Gal third in the field of six 3-year-olds and up, fillies and mares.
 
Trainer David Van Winkle got his first victory of the meet for owners Seven Arm Stable as the 5-year-old Sierrita covered the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.77. Sierrita now has earnings of $156,022 from 10 wins in 31 outings.
 
$39,072 Az Breeders’ Futurity, Colts & Geldings
Triple AAA Ranch took the top two spots with upset winner Keyson ($25.00), ridden by Denny Velazquez 2 ½ lengths clear of stablemate Call Waiting, both trained by Scott Rollins. The 8-5 favorite Loud N Proud suffered his first defeat in three outings finished third in the field of nine juveniles.
 
Keyson raced the 6 furlongs in 1:10.86 for his second win in six starts for $38,137 in earnings.
 
$25,000 Cactus Wren Stakes
The ultra-dependable Fortified Effort ($6.80) rallied late and well with Ry Eikleberry aboard to best Jilas Miracle by three-quarters of a length with Fortified Effort’s stablemate Yo Y Me third in the field of eight 3-year-olds and up.
 
Trained and owned in part by Kevin Eikleberry and fellow partners Lloyd Yother, William Matthews and Marvin Fleming, the 3-year-old Fortified Effort covered the 6 ½ furlongs in 1:17.20 for his eighth win in 16 starts for career earnings of $227,143.

Four stakes, valued at $140,700, will be featured on the eight-race card Saturday at Turf Paradise.
 
Two-year-olds will be showcased in two divisions of the Az Breeders’ Futurity, one for fillies, which drew a field of seven and the other for colts and geldings which attracted a field of nine. Both races will be run at 6 furlongs.
  
The $40,000 Az Breeders Futurity, fillies, 3rd Race
The division came up weak with two of the seven entrants still maidens plus a first time starter. The Kevin Eikleberry-trained Let Me Fly, with five of seven in the money performances, including two victories and a runner-up finish in the ATBA Stakes Futurity, will be the probable post time favorite.
 
The first-time starter Beauty Black deserves a look, being by prolific sire Rocky Bar and a work tab featuring three bullet workouts.
 
The $40,700 Az Breeders’ Futurity, colts & geldings, 6th Race
Eikleberry will look to sweep both futurities with the undefeated in two starts Loud N Proud. One of the victories the son of Maggie’s Wildcat captured was the $83,000 ATBA Sales Stakes for colts and geldings Nov. 3. The trainer’s son, Ry, comes in from New Mexico for both mounts.
 
$30,000 Cactus Flower, fillies and mares, 4th Race
Six-time winner McKenzie Honey and nine-time winner Sierrita will vie for favoritism in this 6 ½ furlongs dash. Both misses like to come from off the pace, leaving the front-running Foggia with a chance to steal the race.
 
$30,000 Cactus Wren, 3-year-olds and up, 7th Race
Could trainer Eikleberry win three of the four stakes? It’s possible, as he has nine-time winner Yo Y Me tuned up for his first start of the race meet and seven-time winner Fortified Effort coming off a four and half month respite for this 6 ½ furlong test. Yo Y Me, who will have Scott Stevens up, finished second in this race last year. Eikleberry’s son has the call on Fortified Effort.
 
This is far from a two horse race, however. Look for the Molly Pearson-trained, lightly-raced Famous Rock Star with Glenn Corbett up to make either one of the Eikleberry entrants earn the win. The 3-year-old shipped in from racing in tougher company in southern California to get nipped by three-quarters of a length in his debut allowance race at Turf on Nov. 24.