Jockey Eddie Razo Jr
Born: 01/21/1966, Mexico City, Mexico Resides: Long Grove, Illinois Family: Doreen, wife; Nicholas, son
Riding regularly at Oaklawn for the first time, Eusebio Razo, Jr. enjoyed an excellent Spa meeting in 2007.
Accepting 200 mounts, he rode 35 winners to finish in fifth place on the final standings. His mounts earned $824,962.
The stylish reinsman finished behind Luis Quinonez, John Jacinto, Calvin Borel and Tim Doocy.
“I knew I was riding in excellent company,” said Razo, who is called “Eddie”, rather than Eusebio.Getting away to a fast start, Razo won the $50,000 Dixieland Stakes on Irish Dreamer opening day.On March 31, he won the $50,000 Carousel aboard Miss Macy Sue.
For the entire year is 2006, the jockey had finished in a three way tie for 66th nationally, winning with 139 of his 781 mounts as his horses earned an aggregate $3,503,554.
“I began my jockey career at the Hipodromo de Las Americus track in Mexico City. I rode there for three years. But even back then, I knew that some day I wanted to come to the United States and ride,” remembers Razo.
Eddie avows that it wasn’t easy making the switch from riding in Mexico City to becoming a regular in the United States.The rider said he was born in Mexico City, but today makes his home in Long Grove, Illinois.
“When I came here from Mexico, I spoke no English.I began galloping horses at Arlington Park, and then an agent took me to Ellis Park,” recalls Razo.
He won some races at Ellis and eventually returned to Chicago.“Balmoral was running thoroughbreds then and going against Arlington. I went to Balmoral and began to do some good and steadily worked my way into the Chicago major circuit,” he said.
He reflected that Steve Specht and Moses Yanez, a couple of trainers, helped him get established.In 1988 he won the riding title at old Sportsman’s Park with 85 wins, including five on one card.Razo is from a family of horsemen. His father, Razo, Sr., is currently a trainer on the Chicago circuit. Several of his uncles rode races.
A big day in Eddie’s riding career came in 1997 when his mount, Hunk of Class dead-heated with Bet on Sunshine in the Arlington Breeders’ Cup Sprint on the Arlington Million undercard.
He won career victory 2,000 on December 12, 2003, this happening at Hawthorne Race Course on a horse named Shadoc.“That was the year I finished second in the standings at Arlington Park with 89 winners,” he recalled.
Razo won the Grade II $350,000 Washington Park Handicap on Eye of The Tiger and the Grade III $150,000 Arlington-Washington Breeders’ Cup Futurity aboard Three Hour Nap.