Jockey Tim Doocy
Born: 12/20/55, Blue Earth, MinnesotaResides: Edmond, OklahomaFamily: Terry, wife; Trey, son
Tim began the current Oaklawn meeting only 24 short of 5,000 winners in his remarkable riding career. He would become only the twenty-fourth jockey in history to reach that lofty figure.
“At one time, I thought few jocks could reach that number. Now I am getting real close. I rode career 4,500 at Oaklawn, and then lost a lot of time following a Prairie Meadows’ accident,” said Doocy, 53.
The Prairie Meadows fall was July 21, 2005.
It left Doocy with a fractured pelvis and damaged urethra. Twice he had to undergo surgery on the urethra, the second time successfully.
The jockey insists he still has some good years in the saddle remaining.
“My 2008 meeting at Oaklawn was a good one. I thought my numbers held up well,” he said.
At that meeting, Doocy rode 232 races from which he had 33 winners. His mounts earned $791,289. This was good for fifth place in the overall Spa standings.
“My favorite mount that meeting was Semaphore Man, who dearly loves running at Oaklawn Park,” assured Doocy.
Under Tim, Semaphore Man won the $150,000 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap and $50,000 King Cotton.
“I thought my 2007 Oaklawn meet was also a good one,” Doocy remarked.
Tim finished fourth in the 2007 Oaklawn’s standings, winning with 36 of his 284 mounts. His horses earned $907,860. During the 2007 Racing Festival of the South, he rode Cream Only to victory in the $100,000 Instant Racing Breeders’ Cup. Early in that meeting he rode Semaphore Man to win the King Cotton.
Over the years Tim has played an important role in the stakes scene at Oaklawn. “Of course, I was the regular rider of Chindi, among the all-time favorites here. A good year for me was 1998 when I won the Pippin, Razorback, Mountain Valley, Oaklawn Breeders’ Cup and Althea,” he remembered.
He loved to ride the popular runner Chindi, a career earner of $1,000,000. Chindi was retired in Oklahoma, but has since come back to the Steve Hobby barn as a stable pony.
“Chindi is an ornery cuss, but I love him. Late in his career, I heard he had arrived Hot Springs from Oklahoma the night before. So I ran over to Steve’s barn, taking the horse an apple and some peppermints. He ate his goodies, then promptly bit me,” chuckled Tim.
Doocy is a two-time Oaklawn riding champion. The Minnesota-born jockey took the 1999 title with 77 winners, the 1998 crown with 86.
On November 3, 1996 at Remington Park, Doocy enjoyed an afternoon that most riders only dream about.
“That was Oklahoma Classic Day,” he smiled.
He accepted mounts in six stakes and won with four of them. “They were Brush With Pride in the Turf, Western Lil in the Distaff, Highland Ice, the Sprint and Western Train the Juvenile,” he recalled.
“I have been very lucky to have the support of trainers like Kenny Smith and Steve Hobby. In the late Jack Moody, I had a top agent,” noted Tim.
Overcoming serious injuries and still riding after many former riders his age have long since retired, Doocy continues to press forward, think positive and establish goals.
“One thing you can never do in any occupation is give up. When I speak to a group, especially young people at schools, I emphasize this to listeners. I insist they work hard and be nice to people. Maybe someone will notice and give them an opportunity,” Tim chatted.
He concluded, “that someone” could be a total stranger, who just happened to see you working hard. One year at Oaklawn I didn’t win a race. The next year here, I won the jockey title.”