Gordon Williams, Freelance Writer
Jermaine Bridgmohan
A Saturday morning call to the jockeys' room at Calder Race Course in Florida revealed that Jermaine Bridgmohan was busy sweating in the 'hot box'.
He is content at 105 pounds, but even as the Jamaican-born apprentice worked to keep his riding weight in check, his success in the saddle has already heated up to fever pitch.
"I expected to do well, but probably not so soon," admitted Bridgmohan, less than six months into his professional riding career. "It has been a pleasant surprise so far."
The 18-year-old from Spanish Town has been hot right out of the box, riding more than 100 winners and earning the champion jockey title at the 60-day 'Tropical at Calder' meet, which ends tomorrow.
It took him 48 days to smash the previous meet record of 84 wins. Yet, the rookie said winning 'Tropical' was always in his aim.
"I did ride to win the meet," Bridgmohan explained. "That was a short-term goal."
Bridgmohan rode his first winner on August 6 at Calder, and notched 40 more by the end of that late summer meet - his first - which ended in October. He is among the hottest riders in the United States today.
Winning the 1998 Award
But the teenager had an early leg-up on the field. He followed his brother Shaun, who also started at Calder. Shaun, now 27, made his mark early too, winning the 1998 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice in the U.S. This year he was co-champion jockey at the Churchill Downs autumn meet and has ridden in the Kentucky Derby at the famous track.
Yet although Jermaine is grateful for Shaun's influence, he is eager to break free from his elder sibling's shadow.
"My brother gave me a good head start," the teenager explained, "but I have to set my own mark, make my own name."
He's well on his way, but far from turning into the homestretch. The early success has not been a cakewalk. Bridgmohan understands a sport that can be uncompromising, even for established riders, and especially cruel on newcomers.
But after hanging around racing for years, he knew the importance of getting a quick break from the gates.
"It's been very tough," said Bridgmohan, who in May graduated from South Florida's Boyd Anderson High School and was offered a scholarship to the University of Florida, which he put aside to pursue riding.
"It's very difficult to establish yourself if you don't get a good start. The first impression must always be good."
So Bridgmohan, who rides with a five-pound apprentice allowance, which he should relinquish in August 2007 just months after his 19th birthday, studies racing form hard. He said learning about his rides and the competition has been his greatest asset so far - just as important as getting to the track at 5:30 a.m. each day to exercise mounts.
"No two horses are the same," he explained. "... You have to know their styles and what they like."
During the 'Tropical', Bridgmohan put together a cluster of multi-win days, including a five-timer on December 17. He's been boxed in by a bit of disappointment as well.
The day after he rode his 100th winner, booting home Howdy Pardner for Jamaican trainer Kirk Ziadie, the teenager drew a blank, limited to three seconds on December 28. He was also winless on December 30.
Bridgmohan said he understands the fickle nature of racing and its fans, even the Jamaicans who flock to Calder and Gulfstream (Florida), where he begins another season on January 3. Punters are far more concerned about winning money than cuddling the latest riding sensation.
"Support (from the fans) has been half and half," he explained. "Some people are happy (with me) and some stick to their (favourite) jockeys. I don't really focus on that support. My support is my family."
That family migrated to the U.S. when Jermaine was three. His father Gerald is an avid racing fan and introduced his two sons to the sport and is their biggest fan. Yet Bridgmohan also heaped credit on a few trainers, including Ziadie, the champion at Calder, who also followed the footsteps of his dad, the legendary Jamaican Ralph Ziadie.
"Kirk Ziadie is one of the best people I ride for," Bridgmohan said. " ... He's probably my main backbone."
First time at Caymanas Park
Although the Jamaican connection in Florida racing is strong, Bridgmohan has never ridden at Caymanas Park and knows little about Jamaica's thoroughbred racing. But he did not rule out that challenge, although indicating it may have to wait a while.
"Not any time soon," he said, before adding, "but the opportunity hasn't come yet."
Now that he has shown potential, the heat is on Bridgmohan to stay ahead of the chasing pack. It means shedding more sweat to hone his skills against competition that has quickly become aware of his ability.
"(The other jockeys) highly respect him," a Calder official told the Caribbean Media Corporation recently.
The apprentice is aware of the mounting attention. He listed greats Jorge Velasquez, Edgar Prado and Jerry Bailey among his all-time favourite riders, and said he knew "more than 80 percent" of the jockeys at Calder before he rode his first race. But he expects no special treatment on the track.
"They don't give me nothing," he said.
Still, you don't hear Bridgmohan complaining.
"Everything that's happened has been a blessing," he said. "Everything has gone well."
No sweat.
Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.
Contributed by michele Blanco (Calder race course)
