McCarthy Enjoying the Ride

by Steve Sherack 

A 21-year-old will be celebrating his birthday at the GI Preakness S. Certainly nothing new there. But Trevor McCarthy–last year's leading rider in Maryland–isn't returning to Baltimore to spend the afternoon at the Budweiser InfieldFest. 

“I'm excited,” McCarthy said of riding local hopeful Bodhisattva (Student Council) in the second leg of the Triple Crown. “Everybody else would probably be going out and having a few drinks at a casino or some bar on their 21st birthday. For me, it's one of the biggest days of my career and my life. To be riding in the Preakness on my 21st birthday means everything.” 

The son of former jockey Michael McCarthy–a winner of 2,907 races–has quickly burst on the scene since riding one winner and a second-place finisher from five mounts in 2011. After getting his picture taken 11 times in 2012, he has really taken his game to the next level the past two seasons. Despite missing an extended period of time with a broken leg in 2013, McCarthy won 140 races from 919 mounts, good for $3,653,365 in earnings. From 1,389 mounts in 2014, he delivered in 263 races (good for seventh in the nation) and accumulated $8,115,053 in earnings. 

“Ever since I saw him riding, I always wanted to do it,” the Delaware native said of catching the racing bug from his father. “He's always been a big supporter of mine and he could tell that since I was little that I always wanted to ride. He's helped me out since day one, which has been great.” 

The elder McCarthy's riding career spanned between 1982-2002. He guided home 10 graded stakes winners while mostly competing on the Mid-Atlantic circuit, but never rode in a Triple Crown race. Since hanging up his tack, he has done a little bit of everything on the backstretch, including training and serving as a jockey's agent. 

Like his dad, McCarthy is awfully hard to miss in the saddle. Both men stand at 5 foot, 9 inches tall. 

“I'm excited for him that he's going to get to do it,” the proud father commented. “I think it's really kind of cool. I'll take credit as being the sire of a Triple Crown jockey. That's fine with me.” 

He continued, “His mother and I are extremely proud of him. And we're really happy for him, too. It's all he really ever wanted to do as a kid. From such an early age he wanted to be with me with the horses. You don't see that very often. It's a wonderful opportunity for him. He's going to get an incredible experience riding in one of the Triple Crown races. Hopefully, it pushes his career a little bit further, too.” 

During McCarthy's aforementioned 2014 season, which was shortened by a broken wrist from a spill at Laurel in December, he won his first two graded stakes aboard Fortune Pearl (Mineshaft) in the GII Delaware Oaks and Munirah (Kitten's Joy) in the GIII Boiling Springs at Monmouth. He also rode Fortune Pearl to a close fourth-place finish in the GI Alabama S. at Saratoga last summer. Both runners hail from the Graham Motion barn. 

“Graham's been a big supporter,” said McCarthy, who returned to action at Gulfstream in mid-March. “I worked for him for about four years. He was my first gallop job and I learned a lot from him about breezing and galloping horses. I also learned a lot about the business and the training perspective, too. I just want to thank him for all he's done. He's put me on some big horses and I really appreciate it. That's really gotten me to the point that I'm at now.” 

That point will reach a pinnacle at Pimlico this weekend. 

In the money in eight of 11 career starts, Bodhisattva (a Buddhist term meaning enlightened one) continues to improve with racing experience. A well-beaten fifth in last November's GII Remsen S. at Aqueduct, he followed a second-place finish in Laurel's Private Terms S. Mar. 21 with a breakthrough win in Pimlico's Federico Tesio S. Apr. 18. Bred in California by Andy Stronach, the chestnut was produced by an unraced half-sister to 2004 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Wilko (Awesome Again). Bodhisattva is owned/trained by Jose Corrales. McCarthy has been in the irons for Bodhisattva's last two starts. 

“I expect him to run a decent race,” said McCarthy, who will be riding at Delaware and Monmouth this spring/summer. “I think he's going to be competitive. He was still pretty green in his race before the Tesio. After that one, Jose Corrales did some great work with him and he's really come a long way. He's been training like a monster since.” 

McCarthy concluded, “It means the world to me–it's pretty exciting to have the opportunity to ride a horse in the Preakness. I'm very fortunate.”