Toronto, ON – Jockey Jim McAleney recorded the 2,000th win of his career, Sunday at Woodbine.
In dramatic fashion, McAleney netted the milestone victory in the 10th race, pairing with Whiskeyontherocks to finish in a dead-heat (with Tempesta Di Neve) for win in the 6-furlong event.
“It kind of epitomizes racing. That’s what racing is all about. There are no sure things or guarantees,” offered McAleney, after dismounting the Terry Jordan trainee. “It’s a wonderful milestone. The industry has treated me so great. I don’t think anybody could be more fortunate than I have. I’ve been around wonderful people and horses since I started.”
The British Columbia-born jockey entered 2009 with 1,990 career victories. “The next goal is to get to 3,000 faster than it took me to get to 2,000,” he said. “The next 1,000 is going to come a lot faster.”
A two-time Sovereign Award winner as Canada’s top apprentice in 1987 and 1988, McAleney won his first race on August 24, 1986.
McAleney won a career-high 162 races in 2008 and set a personal-best mark with $8,461,472 in purse earnings. He recorded 394 top-three finishes at the Toronto oval and netted eight stakes scores and teamed with seven different horses in his added-money scores, including two with Juliet’s Spirit, the My Dear and Ontario Debutante Stakes.
Other stakes wins included the Dance Smartly with The Niagara Queen and the Grade 2 Play the King with Just Rushing. He led the colony in turf wins with 24 and sprints with 113 and had the second-highest win and in-the-money averages of Woodbine regulars.
The father of two, who enjoyed bull-riding as a youngster, won the 2005 Woodbine Oaks, presented by Budweiser, with Gold Strike and one year later partnered Sovereign Award winner (Older Mare) Financingavailable to five stakes scores.
In 2006, McAleney gave Hall of Fame trainer Roger Attfield his 300th career stakes win.
McAleney and his wife Kim have two children, Cody and Caitlin.
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