A national alert flashed across Churchill Downs early Monday morning. As the rising sun kissed the Twin Spires, jockey Mario Pino blazed atop the Louisville, Ky. oval with Hard Spun barely snorting.
A blistering 57 3/5 seconds over five-eighths mile was the fastest pre-Derby workout since 1973 by the mighty Forego, Pino may have signaled Hard Spun as the next great 3-year-old colt for Saturday’s 133rd Kentucky Derby. Conversely, Pino may have emptied the tank prematurely. Forego later finished fourth to Secretariat.
Either way, Pino is no longer just some successful, but anonymous jockey from Maryland. He’s now aboard one of the top contenders. Not bad for Maryland’s career victory leader whose Derby debut at age 45 is the third oldest ever.
“When you want to be a jockey, all you want to do is ride in the Kentucky Derby at least once,” Pino said. “When I rode in the Preakness [Stakes] a few times, they said the Derby is three times more than that.”
Pino’s 5,888 career victories are the most by a Maryland rider and 16th nationally. Yet, most racegoers better remember Eclipse-winning jockeys Kent Desormeaux, Chris McCarron or Mike Luzzi who left Maryland for better purses in New York or California. Pino remained to provide a stable home life for his wife and three children in Ellicott City, Md.
Pino has steadily outlasted the hot newcomers since his own 1979 arrival, taking at least 141 races annually. He’s the third-winningest active rider nationally behind Russell Baze and Earlie Fires. With a few years remaining in his career, Pino has a chance of one day entering the National Thoroughbred Hall of Fame.
“If anybody ever told me I would be in the hall of fame when I started riding I’d laugh at them,” Pino said. “Laffit Pincay used to say if you win that many races that’s an accomplishment. It all paid off in the end.”
Pino won his first Grade I stakes last year aboard Wildcat Bettie B., whom he’ll ride again on the Derby undercard. Pino missed last year’s Derby aboard favorite Sweetnorthernsaint because of a hernia operation.
Ironically, another Derby chance comes a year later aboard Hard Spun. Summering the past three years at nearby Delaware Park led to riding the colt to five victories in six races.
“The first time I rode him in a race I said ‘This is a Derby horse,’ Pino said. “He showed he’s good enough.”
Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Contact him at [email protected].
