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Garcia Returns to Hoosier Park
Hoosier Park Racing and Casino has a jockey that is leaving his mark every time he wins a race. Jesse Garcia is a jockey known for his “Winning Guns” when he comes up to the winners’ circle. He was given the idea when he was in New England and has made Hoosier Park the first place to show his new trademark.
Even though this is the first season he is using his trademark, he has a long history with Hoosier Park. Garcia was a member of the original jockey colony in 1995 when the racetrack first opened but took a break from Hoosier Park and came back in 2000. This is his first year back to Hoosier Park since then, but he plans to make this a circuit he stays on.
“I have been trying to find a circuit I could run on and be happy with,” said Garcia. “I plan to run at Hoosier Park in the fall then go home to Tampa, Fla. for a small break and race there in the winter months. After the Tampa season is done, I will go to Indiana Downs then back to Hoosier Park. Tampa is my home. My daughter and wife live there. My daughter comes and visits a week at a time when she isn’t in school.”
Garcia can still remember what Hoosier Park was like during the inaugural season in 1995.
“It (Hoosier Park) is a lot nicer now,” said Garcia. “It used to be a track in the middle of nowhere that no one knew about. Now, it is something and has tons around it.”
While Garcia is at Hoosier Park he has good company with him even though his family is in Tampa. He is the new owner of a Jack Russell puppy that is about two months old. The puppy’s name is Zorro and he has the face to look like a real Zorro mask.
Garcia is 49 years old and is proud to be a jockey that has been riding for 29 years. All 29 years have not been easy. Garcia has broken his back four times, but has returned to the saddle stronger than ever each time.
“The first time I broke my back was the worst,” said Garcia. “Not only was I hurt, but I was hurt mentally, too. All the doctors told me that I would not be able to ride again.”
The first incident was in 1983. It took him over a year to recover from the accident.
“I had to find a way to get my strength back,” said Garcia. “I had to get strength in my back to force myself to ride again. I had heard that swimming was a really good way to work your muscles back into shape. So one day I went to the YMCA and watched a group of older men and women do their morning exercises. A man asked what I was doing and I told him I was trying to figure out swimming. The man then made me get in the pool and he taught me how to swim so I could do laps. That is how I got my back in shape to be able to ride again.”
Garcia has had several different kinds of wins throughout his 29 years of racing. He has several leading jockey titles from several different tracks around the United States. He is already off to a great return to Hoosier Park, landing a spot among the top 10 riders this year.
