'Very Happy' Perez Earns 1,000th Career Win

Veteran jockey Edgar Perez reached the 1,000-win milestone Nov. 12 at Gulfstream Park, where he guided Desert Ruler to a 2 1/2-length victory in Race 7. "I'm a very, very happy man," Perez said. "Thank you, Lord. Thanks to my family, the owner, the trainer, and everybody. To win 1000 races in the United States, unbelievable." Based on the Chicago circuit for several years, the 43-year-old journeyman has established a strong year-round presence at Gulfstream Park since moving to South Florida upon the closure of Arlington Park. Perez had established prominence in his native Venezuela, where he was the regular rider of Gustavo Delgado-trained Bambera, whom he guided to a ninth grade 1 victory in the 2009 Clasico del Caribe at Camarero. Perez, who is represented by agent Rene Douglas, ventured to the U.S. in 2009 after winning 1,300 races in Venezuela. He scored his first U.S. victory on his very first stateside mount, Macho Prince, at Calder Race Course.