Edited Press Release
Christian Maragh was in diapers the first time he joined his brother Rajiv at the racetrack. The siblings were together again Sunday at Gulfstream Park under much different circumstances.
Separated by 18 years, Rajiv and Christian Maragh lined up against each other for the first time as jockeys in Race 7, a claiming event for older horses sprinting 5 1/2 furlongs on the all-weather Tapeta course.
Rajiv Maragh, 39, ran fifth on 5-year-old gelding Gabagool (Ransom the Moon), trained by their father, Collin Maragh. Christian Maragh, 21, wound up trailing the field after losing his irons when 6-year-old gelding Jet Wings (Noble Bird) had the saddle slip stumbling from the gate.
“It was the craziest experience of my entire life,” Christian Maragh said. “It was something I always pictured since I was little, actually happening for the first time. It's crazy. It's literally a dream come true.”
Christian Maragh made his professional debut Nov. 8 at Gulfstream, finishing eighth on Prized Katz (Katz My Song). He picked up his first win Dec. 27 at Tampa Bay Downs aboard Dundie (Speightstown), trained by his father.
Ironically, Dundie also gave Rajiv Maragh the first win of his comeback after nearly two years away from the sport, Dec. 5 at Gulfstream. The Jamaica native owns 1,942 career wins with purse earnings of more than $102 million.
“I'm glad I came back to ride,” he said. “It was very good, a bit surreal being in the gate next to him.”
The brothers broke side-by-side in Posts 5 and 6 Sunday. Christian Maragh attempted a little pre-race gamesmanship to gain an advantage.
“I looked over and made a face at him to try to make him laugh and catch him off guard,” he said, “but it didn't work.”
Christian Maragh, who stands 5-foot-8, tipped the scales at 170 pounds before getting himself down to riding weight in order to realize his boyhood passion and follow his older brother into racing. He has a record of 3-2-2 from 20 starts, riding primarily at Tampa.
“I had to really dedicate myself and commit myself to what I wanted to do. It's not like I just randomly jumped up. I've wanted to be a jockey since when I was little kid,” he said. “I kind of knew the day would always come when I would have to just bite the bullet and take my life seriously and dedicate myself to the lifestyle.”
Rajiv Maragh, whose Grade I wins include the Breeders' Cup Mile and Filly & Mare Sprint, Wood Memorial, Whitney and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic, is his brother's biggest supporter.
“The first time I took him to a racetrack I was an apprentice at Gulfstream in 2004. He was a newborn in my mom's hands. I won my fifth race, and the security guard said, 'Let in his wife and his child,'” Maragh said. “I'm like, 'That's my mom and my brother.'
“To see him come from that, every day riding the exerciser. He used to run home from school and go straight to the garage and get on the exerciser,” he added. “To be here today is a special moment.”
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