Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, wife Angie and their 8-year-old daughter Maddie have traded the warmth of Southern California for the arctic chill of Arkansas. He said his family left New Year's Day and drove to Tucson, Ariz., spent the next night in Fort Worth and rolled into Hot Springs just before noon Jan. 3.
“Like I've told multiple people in interviews, some pretty basic things–quality horses, quality horsemen, quality money, quality management and quality living,” Stevens said when asked why the shift in tack to Oaklawn. “Pretty simple math.”
Stevens, who is represented by agent Jay Fedor, is named on 15 horses the first three days. Stevens had only 264 mounts overall in 2017, but said he will not be choosy during the Oaklawn meeting that begins Friday.
“Whatever my agent puts me on,” Stevens said. “He's got the pen, and I've got the reins. He's got a green light. He's a good agent… Knees are good, hip's good. Feel like a kid again.”
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