Carlos Pizarro: Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice

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Jorge
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Carlos Pizarro: Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice

Postby Jorge » Mon Jul 14, 2014 9:11 pm

Carlos Pizarro

Very very sad news! May the Good Lord Bless His soul.
Our condolences to his mourning family.

Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice,
Carlos Pizarro, who was Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice died
at the racetrack. He was currently 4th in this year statistics at the Camarero Racetrack.
He achieved a total of 1420 victories.
More information at:

http://www.elnuevodia.com/muereeljinete ... 14072.html

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Re: Carlos Pizarro: Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice

Postby Jorge » Thu Jul 17, 2014 9:52 pm

Carlos Pizarro – A tribute to his memory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVBBbG-10g8&app=desktop

(free-hand English translation:)

The unexpected passing away of jockey Carlos Pizarro,

Has left Puerto Rico’s Thoroughbred racing sport immersed on a profound pain.
All of us who are part of this sport know, in detail, how dangerous the profession
of being a jockey is. They are athletes with far more implications than the ordinary sense of the word.
They are very strong physically speaking yet somehow fragile when exposed to the moment of facing a fall or accident; plus facing the intrinsic dangerous handling of a Thoroughbred horse.
The might of heart was an attribute that characterized Pizarro, who knew with his humbleness
and his people’s charisma earn the love, respect, and admiration of all of us who had the privilege to count on him as part of what it is known as the Thoroughbred family. Pizarro had great virtues that overshadowed any opaque defects. He was firm on his decisions. Strong charactered when he had to be, and more. He was an extraordinary human being. Noble, loyal friend who wasn’t afraid to help other who needed his help. An excellent father and husband, who taught us to make the correct balance between dedicate time to his work and to his family, for he was quite devoted to his family for the sake of elevating the quality of our Thoroughbred sport. Three years ago, he published in his personal page at facebook the following:

“As always I will continue to work hard in order to achieve my dreams as a jockey because I still have many dreams to achieve and I want that it may be on my island. I am doing it for my family, my wife and my children, who are the most important and because I want to be here working hard for a better Puerto Rican Thoroughbred sport each day.”

Professionally speaking, Pizarro was an excellent jockey since he began his riding career; being the most outstanding apprentice jockey in 1999. After a one year suspension Pizarro returned to the saddle to achieve, step by step, a road of achievements that at the present was at its most elevated point during the last eight years. Today the Thoroughbred sport cries his departure. Moreover because of the circumstances in which it occurred. We are left with his example. And while today our heart shows its most fragile side, remembering him gives us the necessary strength to accept his physical absence.

(Interview question) “Are you happy being a jockey?” (Answer: ) “Absolutely. I dreamed of being a jockey. I thought that because of my height I wouldn’t be able to get in. I was afraid that because of that I may not be able to achieve it. Very good and great satisfactions and I am feel grateful to God because of what I am today.

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Re: Carlos Pizarro: Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice

Postby Jorge » Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:58 am


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Re: Carlos Pizarro: Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice

Postby Jorge » Sun Jul 20, 2014 9:06 am

CARLOS PIZARRO - Habla de su experiencia de ser jinete (Talks about his
experience of being a jockey):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWjb8BFk_nI

....................
(This is merely an approximate free-hand
translation from a publicly published "youtube" video)

QUESTION 01.

How would you summarize to us what is the life and preparation to become a jockey?
He told that he began at the Escuela Vocacional Hipica (Thoroughbred Sport Vocational School)
He recalled that he worked in the stables as a groom with trainer Candelario Bonilla. After that he attended the Escuela Vocacional Hipica. He continued his learning process on the basics and from there he expressed that one continues learning, galloping. From there one graduates. Then one continues learning from more experienced fellow jockeys and one acquires more abilities until becoming a first class (non-apprentice) jockey and from there, a day by day process. He expressed that at the racetrack we have like a Thoroughbred family: fellow jockeys, trainers, owners, making relations with them day by day and I can say that we devote more time at the racetrack than even in our homes and it becomes a duty and habit to gallop early each morning, waking up at 4:00 A.M. to gallop and to prepare ourselves. He expressed that he also jogs at least, on free days. He told that he makes his exercises and a strict diet, in his case since he is a tall jockey (5’6”) he has to keep his weight at 113 pounds. He makes exercise losing weight in the sauna and occasionally galloping with my sweaters on in order to keep himself as light as possible and then, the next concern is the food. He expressed that when one goes out with the family one tries to eat small amounts. He told that in his case I eat everything even fat but always trying to return to avoid eating food with fat and to keep a healthy diet.

QUESTION 02. Main concerns in physical aspects.

To him, to keep the weight. At least now things are better because now the weight here (PR) was augmented to 116 pounds and that helped us a great deal. Several years ago it was really tough because it was very hard to compete under 112 pounds because we had to compete against other very talented smaller jockeys who not only had the ability but were much lighter. So we had to be lighter in order to be able to compete against them because otherwise you wouldn’t have any mount. In synthesis hard work. Because this is one of the racetracks were one has to work harder, this even said by visiting jockeys from other places. Work hard and keep the weight.

QUESTION 03. Emotionally how are you affected by your profession?

As an apprentice I won a lot of races, later on I was out of the profession. It affects when one doesn’t have the opportunity. One becomes a little discouraged into not mounting and quit but since one carries this in the blood and heart one wants to give the maximum effort and one prevails and persists until achieving ones dream to be among the leaders at least within the first 10 jockeys.

QUESTION 04. Risks involved?

Whenever you are aboard a horse in the morning you are risking your life. You don’t know when a horse is going to have a bad step and fall or rear-off and fall backwards. One is in constant risk. Most risks are present during a race. Or inside the starting gate, or if a horse fractures himself then unexpected things may happen and I find that this is the most dangerous situation in a horse race

QUESTION 05. Fortunate moments such as triumphs and great satisfactions?

On Three Kings Days and Christmas Day my family is with me and we celebrate here together and then we go outside to celebrate together. For me it is to bring my family here and win a stakes race.
For me the best thing is to have my family with me together and celebrate a triumph together.

QUESTION 06. How you prepare yourself before a race?

Well first I go to the sauna even when I feel myself lightweight I go to the sauna, make exercise. And even before I run awhile on Sundays. Then I try to stretch myself but not that much.

QUESTION 07. How do you connect with the horse you are about to ride previous to a race?

Not a problem because regularly when I am about to ride a horse in the afternoon I have already rode him in the morning Then try to make him relax in order to bond with him.

QUESTION 08. Are you happy being a jockey?

Absolutely I dreamed about it. At first I was a little worried because of my height but I have had many great satisfactions And I give thanks to God for being what I am today.

Carlos Pizarro Photo:
http://www.primerahora.com/deportes/hip ... o-1022587/
Last edited by Jorge on Sun Jul 20, 2014 8:09 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Carlos Pizarro: Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice

Postby camarero1956 » Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:03 pm

Very sad news indeed. He was a very accomplished jockey and a very personable human being. Contrary to other PR jockeys like brothers Irad and José Ortiz (from the same home town, Trujillo Alto), he chose to stay in the island. In an interview he mentioned that he preferred staying there, among his reasons was to aid in the betterment of the sport. It was also said that he mentored many apprentice jockeys.
He was well respected by the media, stable owners, fellow jockeys and pretty much anyone that met him.

I had met him during the morning workouts at Camarero Racetrack in November of 2011. That day he was working with a filly by the name of Garbosa, the photo in pedQuery of this filly was taken that day. Coincidentally Carlos last stakes win was during the Clásico Día de las Madres (Mother's Day) this past March when he rode Zalamera, a half sister to Garbosa.

The following racetracks were kind enough to devote a minute of silence for Carlos:

Hipodromo V Centenario (Dominican Republic), Finger Lakes, Gulfstream Park, Mountaineer Park, Saratoga
and Suffolk Downs.

Rest In Peace Carlos
Rosana

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Re: Carlos Pizarro: Puerto Rico’s 1999 Leading Apprentice

Postby Jorge » Sun Aug 17, 2014 9:15 am

New on facebook and a note on Carlos Pizarro:
https://www.facebook.com/thoroughbredpage