“Heart Like a Lion”: Million-Dollar Jockey Praises Horse Racing Prodigy After Dominant Grade 2 Stakes Win

Published 12/17/2023, 5:40 AM EST

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The thoroughbred racing season is in full swing and the Los Alamitos Futurity was the center of attention in Cypress, California yesterday. The Grade 2 horse racing event was highly fought and the celebrity horse WYNSTOCK claimed the $200,000 prize money after an impressive showdown against Stronghold. Jockey Kyle Frey was seen speaking his mind about his champion horse after the race, as he couldn’t stop beaming with a large grin on his face.

Frey mentioned that WYNSTOCK has a hard time relaxing, but the two-year-old horse is getting adjusted to the racing environment. The winning jockey exclaimed he was “ecstatic” with the victory and couldn’t have asked for anything different.

Los Alamitos winner shares humorous insights

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Speaking to TVG, Frey said getting WYNSTOCK out of the door was the most difficult part, but once he was sprinting, the horse displayed a completely different mindset. The reporter threw a lucid question at Frey asking him if WYNSTOCK can relax during races. To answer the question, the jockey mentioned that, “Relaxing isn’t really his issue“. Frey also said that WYNSTOCK shifts gears when he forges ahead, and then he’s like a different character altogether.

When he gets in front he really just gets a heart like a lion“, elaborated Kyle. Racing for owners Dr. Edward Allred and Jack Liebau, Frey looked particularly pleased to win the Los Alamitos Futurity, but WYNSTOCK was understandably the talk of the town. Talking about the brief tussle between WYNSTOCK and Stronghold during the race, Frey came clean to set the record straight, “…he started it“, and laughed.

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He also said that the latest win was up there with his best career moments and looked proud of winning the prestigious race that began in 1981. Frey overcame a number of personal struggles, which are finally bearing fruit for the seasoned jockey at last. The TVG hosts marked Frey as a “giver“, and said he never shies away from giving his 100% when racing.

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New prodigies eyeing to make things difficult

The horse racing season is getting tense as the Kentucky Derby preparations are underway. Horses around the country are looking to achieve the elusive Triple Crown title and every jockey and horse is putting their best performance on display. Ahead of the Los Alamitos Futurity, legendary trainer Bob Baffert claimed his horses would dominate the race and his words came true as WYNSTOCK was the first to cross the finishing line.

Read more: Watch: 2-Year-Old Horse Racing Prodigy Storms Through Track to Acquire Important Points for American Triple Crown Dream

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With new stars appearing on the horizon, it waits to be seen how the upcoming races shape up ahead of the Derby races, and which celebrity horse walks home with the biggest prize of the day.

Watch this story: Essential Mistakes to Steer Clear of When Riding a Horse for the First Time

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Written by:

Diptarko Paul

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One take at a time

Growing up, I didn’t really have an interest in Olympic sports, but it was always something intriguing. As I found the means and the opportunity to explore its world, I found sports like volleyball, and track & field to be something that had tons to offer instead of just scoring through kills and sprinting toward the finish line. Whether it is Nebraska Huskers dominating the court or Noah Lyles maintaining his winning spree on the tracks, these two sports never fail to serve adrenaline rush to their spectators.
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Edited by:

Suman Varandani