by Tim Nichols
Jockey Garrett Gomez secured his 3,000th career win in grand fashion on Sunday as he guided Hyperbaric to a neck victory over Tybalt in the $200,000 Oak Tree Mile Stakes (G2) at the Oak Tree meeting at Santa Anita Park.
Gomez kept Hyperbaric close to pacesetter Tropic Storm throughout most of the race before urging the Sky Classic gelding to the lead in the final furlong. Hyperbaric completed one mile on firm turf in 1:33.62.
The Oak Tree Mile win secured Hyperbaric a starting spot in the $2-million Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1) on October 25 as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series. Winning trainer Julio Canani said he will decide later if Hyperbaric will contest the Breeders’ Cup Mile.
Gomez has won four Breeders’ Cup races during his 20-year career.
Hyperbaric stayed one length behind Tropic Storm through a half-mile in :47.81 and moved within a half-length through six furlongs in 1:10.87.
“The pace surprised me,” Gomez said. “We went a lot slower early than I thought we would. On paper, it didn’t look like it would shape up that way.”
Prestonwood Farm’s five-year-old gelding powered to the lead in early stretch and outlasted fast-closing Tybalt for the win. Tybalt finished three-quarters of a length in front of third-place finisher Tropic Storm.
Hyperbaric improved to six wins in 11 starts and boosted his earnings to $414,476.
Since starting his career at Sante Fe Downs in 1988, the 36-year-old Gomez has emerged as one of North America’s premier riders. He leads all North American jockeys by purse earnings as his mounts have earned $16,540,739 through Saturday.
He won the Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey in 2007 after his mounts amassed $22,800,074 in purse earnings to lead the nation. He also broke Jerry Bailey’s record for stakes wins in a season with 77 stakes victories in 2007. Bailey set the previous mark of 70 in 2003.
Gomez battled back from adversity earlier in his career. Personal reasons, including problems with substance abuse, caused him to miss 21 months of action. He entered rehabilitation on October 29, 2003. He won a pair of Breeders’ Cup races on the same day two years later.
“I’ve had some bumps in the road and I think a milestone like this kind of makes you reflect back and appreciate where you are,” Gomez said. “I think I’m a better person because of what I’ve been through.
“As long as I keep winning, I hope to get to 4,000 pretty quick.”
Gomez lives in Duarte, California, with his wife, Pam. They have four children—Amanda, Shelby, Jared, and Collin.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Tim Nichols is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY assistant editor