Apprentice Jockey Tyler Bacon is one of several new faces this season at Oaklawn. (Coady Media)
17-year-old apprentice jockey Tyler Bacon collected three victories through the first eight days of racing at Oaklawn
By Robert Yates
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.—Among Oaklawn’s biggest perks is money. Among the biggest beneficiaries of that money so far this season is apprentice jockey Tyler Bacon, 17, who is riding at Oaklawn for the first time at the 2024-2025 meeting.
Bacon began the meeting with 51 career victories, securing his largest purse ($46,947) in an allowance sprint for Iowa-bred females Aug. 23 at Prairie Meadows.
Bacon has already collected three victories through the first eight days of racing at Oaklawn, highlighted by his first career six-figure score aboard Wendelssohn in Saturday’s seventh race, a $130,000 entry-level allowance sprint for 3-year-olds.
Apprentice jockey Tyler Bacon logs his first PrM victory aboard Shaniah in Friday's second. pic.twitter.com/xxlntad61B
— Prairie Meadows (@prmracing) May 24, 2024
“That’s a lot of money,” Bacon said.
Bacon rode Wendelssohn ($11.80) for 2015 Oaklawn training champion Chris Hartman.
The jockey’s first Oaklawn victory was Dec. 7 aboard Chiquita Reina ($14.60) for trainer John Haran. Bacon struck again Dec. 20 aboard Go West Go ($19.60) for trainer Boyd Caster. Purses for those two races were $34,000 and $60,000, respectively.
First win at Oaklawn for jockey Tyler Bacon!
— TwinSpires Racing (@TwinSpires) December 7, 2024
He pilots Chiquita Reina to victory in the opener at 6/1 for trainer John Haran!
#TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/QOBn6SYOUo
Oaklawn annually offers the country’s highest purses during the winter. Its minimum purse to open 2024-2025 was $32,000.
“I feel comfortable here, for sure,” Bacon said. “All the riders now, they’ve helped me out a bit and tell me things that I could do better. I’ve been listening a lot. I really like it here.”
Bacon launched his riding career in late 2023 and recorded his first victory March 1 at Fonner Park in Nebraska. The purse was $5,600. Bacon was the leading apprentice rider this year at Fonner Park (15 victories) and at Prairie Meadows in Iowa, where he rode 36 winners to tie for eighth in the standings.
Bacon is one of three apprentice jockeys with victories at the 2024-2025 Oaklawn meeting that began Dec. 6.
Erik Asmussen, a candidate for an Eclipse Award as the country’s champion apprentice jockey of 2024, has two victories.
Asmussen, through Wednesday, led all North American apprentice riders in victories (127) and purse earnings ($5,004,687) in 2024. His uncle, Cash Asmussen, was an Eclipse Award winner in 1979 as the country’s champion apprentice jockey.
Erik Asmussen is the son of Steve Asmussen, a two-time Eclipse Award winner (2008 and 2009) as the country’s outstanding trainer. Asmussen is Oaklawn’s all-time leading trainer.
Jose Ramos Gutierrez recorded his first career victory Dec. 15.
Bacon and Asmussen both ride with a 5-pound apprentice weight allowance. Gutierrez has a 10-pound allowance.
Bacon is represented by agent Brian Assmann.
Apprentice jockey Tyler Bacon logs his first PrM victory aboard Shaniah in Friday's second. pic.twitter.com/xxlntad61B
— Prairie Meadows (@prmracing) May 24, 2024
Finish Lines … … ….. ……
Entries will be accepted and post positions drawn Sunday for two stakes races Jan. 4 at Oaklawn – $250,000 Smarty Jones for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles and the $150,000 Mockingbird for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. The Smarty Jones closed Dec. 19 with 81 nominations. It is Oaklawn’s first of four Kentucky Derby qualifying races, with 21 points awarded to the top five finishers (10-5-3-2-1, respectively) toward starting eligibility.
