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| A broken wrist delayed
Borel's journey to win 5,000
(Oaklawn Park/Coady Photography) |
"I've been blessed to work for such a gentleman these 22
years," said Hissam, who has been recovering from illness at home. "There's no
better person. This is just fantastic."
Every person at Oaklawn Thursday received a commemorative
trading card honoring Borel's historic achievement courtesy of the City of Hot
Springs.
Borel, a 2011 inductee into the Arkansas Sports Hall of
Fame, was Oaklawn's leading rider in 1995 and 2005. He is probably best known
for winning three Kentucky Derbys within four years and as the regular rider of
2009 Horse of the Year and classic queen Rachel Alexandra.
His first
Kentucky Derby victory came aboard Street Sense in 2007 and then he won the race
in 2009 aboard 50-1 shot Mine That Bird and 2010 aboard Super Saver, the Arkansas Derby
runner-up.
Borel was born November 7, 1966, in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana,
and grew up in Cajun country riding at bush tracks as a
child. He reached the highest echelons of racing with a fearless and aggressive
riding style -- earning the nickname "Bo-rail" for taking horses
through tight spots along the inside.
The reinsman took some time off in late 2012 to
portray himself in the "Mine That Bird" movie being filmed at Churchill Downs.
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