Jurado leaving Calder for Macau

Already an internationally experienced rider that has practiced his trade in

the United States, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai, jockey Luis Jurado announced Sunday

that he will leave the Calder riding colony by month's end to embark on a

three-month riding tour through Macau on the Chinese coast.

"My wife is the one that applied for me," Jurado said outside the Calder

jockey's room on Sunday afternoon. "She was there a couple of years ago, and she

was really interested in going back. My brother-in-law (jockey Luis Corrales) is

already riding there, and when I get there I am going to stay with him."

The initial plan is for Jurado to depart Calder between May 22 and May 23 and

to ride in Macau provisionally, although the prospects of an elongated stay

appear to be the rider's goal.

"I'll be there for three months, with an opportunity to extend that time,"

Jurado explained. "I know some trainers over there from when I was riding in

Dubai, and they already know that I'm coming. The plan is for my family to stay

here for the first three months, but if I do well and choose to stay, they will

come out."

Prior to joining the south Florida riding colony in 2009, Jurado spent nine

years in Saudi Arabia where he became acclimated to international racing and was

initially exposed to the world community, an experience the rider both cherishes

and hopes to duplicate in Macau.

"I've always thought it was good to go new places and see different people

and different cultures," Jurado said. "To see the way they think and the way

they act. And to open doors every chance I get.

"I'm always trying to look forward; to look for that next opportunity. And

when you get that opportunity, if you've got the owners, the trainers, and most

importantly you've made the right friendships, you have to take that shot. It's

a good way to prove yourself and what you can do, both as a jockey and as a

person. And it becomes like a test for me, to see if I can adapt."

Among those tests Jurado will face is the experience of new language, new

training techniques, new riding tactics, and new foods, none of which instills

any fear in Jurado.

"I've already eaten camel," Jurado joked. "So I don't think there's anything

I'm not ready for. You know, sometimes you can get stuck in certain places, and

when that happens, you're not able to believe what you are capable of doing. I

don't want to get like that."

The initial response to Jurado's impending departure has been positive from

the Calder community.

"All the people I've ridden for here have been very supportive of my

decision," Jurado said. "And even though I'm leaving, Calder will always be

here.

"And the worst that can happen is that I don't do well, or I don't have much

interest over there, and then I can always come back. It's only 90 or 100 days

of my life. That's a small price to pay for such a big opportunity."