Each month we’ll take a trip to the backstretch and visit with a different jockey or trainer. For this issue, the focus is on Rajiv Maragh, a young jockey that has taken the New York tracks by storm this year. Born in Jamaica, the 23-year-old Maragh finished third in wins during both the 2008 Belmont Spring Meet (52 wins) and the 2008 Aqueduct Winter Meet (75). After finishing 40th in national jockey earnings last year, he has made an astonishing leap in 2008 and is currently hovering near the top ten. Maragh enjoyed success at the top level of New York-racing this year as well, winning graded races on Rite Moment and Hostess.

Majagh is currently single and makes his home in Elmont, NY.

Q: How did you first get involved with horses?

Growing up in Jamaica, my father, my mother’s brother, and a few of my uncles were jockeys. Once you get into horse racing, it grasps you and doesn’t let go. The other kids at school wanted to be doctors and lawyers, but all I ever wanted was to be a jockey.

Q: When did you come to the United States, and what factored into the decision?

My mother knew that I wanted to become a jockey, but she also wanted to make sure that I finished high school. So in 1998 she sent me to Florida to go to high school and also to pursue my dream.

Q: Do you remember your first win?

My first win came at Tampa Bay Downs on February 1, 2004. I picked up the mount on a horse named Pricedale Kid in a claiming race after the jockey who was supposed to ride him didn’t show up. He won the race, giving me my first victory in my ninth career start. Two weeks later my second win came on the same horse! Me and Pricedale Kid really got along well together.

Q: You broke in at Monmouth as a teenager and won honors as that track’s top apprentice in 2004. Was that a big confidence boost for you? What were your first few years at the track like?

It absolutely was, and it was a very windy road that led to my success at Monmouth. In 2004, after Gulfstream ended, I went to Tampa and won a few races, and then went to Calder Race Course and won a few races. After that, I decided to go to the New York circuit for the spring. Unfortunately, I had a lot of trouble getting good mounts and I didn’t have a lot of success. At the end of that experiment, I decided to try out Monmouth, and my jockey agent got me on a lot of very live horses. At that point my career really began to take off, and it was big turning point for me. After that pivotal Monmouth meet, I went to the Meadowlands and also had a very successful meet as an apprentice.

Following that Meadowlands meet in 2004, my plan was to ride at Aqueduct during the winter. I started off the meet ok, but not great, and during the ten-day break in December I went down to ride at Gulfstream. Keep in mind that being from Jamaica, I’m used to warmer weather and Aqueduct was a bit cold, so my two-week break in Florida actually turned into the entire meet! It may not have been a great move, but it actually worked out well for me because a lot of my New Jersey connections went to Gulfstream. During that meet I ran away with the apprentice standings, and things kept getting better and better.

At the end of April 2005 I lost my apprentice bug, which means that the horses I rode didn’t get a weight allowance any more. That is always a telling time for a jockey, but fortunately for me, the connections that I had made stuck with me. I maintained most of my customers and they began getting a lot more comfortable with me. It really worked out well.

Q: How did you decide to come to the New York circuit in 2008?

At the end of 2007, I felt like I was lacking New York customers. I wanted to make it to the top and believed that I needed the best customers, the New York customers. Because of this, I started off 2008 by riding at Aqueduct. Thanks to my jockey agent and some wonderful trainers, my business kept getting better and better in New York. My original plan was to go back to Monmouth and Florida, but I got such good business in New York that I had to make a difficult decision. Different people told me all sorts of different things I should do, and for me it came down to the decision to go along with the flow of what had been successful. The 2008 Belmont Spring Meet got off to a great start for me and I made the decision to stay there instead of going to Monmouth as planned. And I have been riding at the New York tracks ever since.

Q: You won two graded races during the 2008 Aqueduct Meet with Rite Moment. What was that experience like, and what kind of filly is she?

I had won grade III races before, but when you win a grade II it is really stepping up the ballgame. Rite Moment was a very talented horse and it was an honor to ride her. The victories on her really opened my eyes to the possibilities that awaited me in the New York circuit.

Q: Your first Saratoga graded win came this year on Hostess in the Glens Falls. Was that a major milestone for you?

Absolutely. As a young jockey, when you come to Saratoga you must temper your expectations. I am a realist and wasn’t expecting to be one of the leading riders. I knew that it was a tough meet going in, and I told myself that if I won one stakes it would be a successful meet. So to win a graded stake during the last week of the meet was amazing.

Q: In 2007 you finished 40th in the country in earnings. This year you are bordering on the top ten. This is quite an accomplishment for someone that is 23-years-old. Does it feel like your success has been instantaneous?

It depends on how you look at it. To me it was instantaneous, because I moved from one level to another level very fast. But it was also a process. I have been riding since the end of 2003; almost five full years. It was a process that started from the bottom, but that has seen some rapid success this year.

Q: This was your first year riding at Saratoga, the most prestigious track in the country. You finished a very good seventh in wins with 19, and won a graded race. What was the experience like for you, and what did you learn that may help you next year?

The experience, atmosphere and people in Saratoga are amazing. It has the best horses, the best fans, and the best competition, so you get a different feeling. You feel like there is a lot to accomplish, and there is a lot to prove. Being at Aqueduct and Belmont is great and you know everybody, but at Saratoga it is a blend of people from all over. Race wise, it’s a smaller track with tighter turns that requires more aggressive riding. So I learned you need to fine-tune your style and how you position horses. That is especially true on the turf, which features extremely tight turns, not the sweeping turns at Belmont. The racing has a much faster pace at Saratoga.

Q: You ride a lot of horses for Gary Contessa, who dominated the Aqueduct meet. How much has that relationship meant to your success?

That was a great part of my success, because when you ride for a top trainer like Gary, it makes other people say, ‘well if he can ride for Gary, he can ride for me.’ Gary had a lot of confidence in me and put me on a lot of live horses. My relationship with him and with Winning Move Stable has really helped my career.

Q: You’ve had a real breakthrough year. What are your next major goals?

Having a good year makes me feel like the opportunities to ride in the bigger races are more of a prospect. Eventually, I want to become a household name that the top trainers seek out to ride their top horses.

Q: How would you describe your riding style?

I am a pretty aggressive rider with my positioning, I love saving ground, and I don’t believe in going wide too early in a race. I think I can fit any style of horse.

Q: Your jockey valet, Harry Rice, is one of the senior NYRA valets. Many racing fans don’t realize what a jockey valet does. How does Harry help you and how important is that?

Harry, my valet, takes care of my equipment during the race day and makes sure that everything is ready for the next race. It’s very important to have a valet you can rely on, as it helps your physical and mental well being. Sometimes I ride eight races in a row and don’t have time to fix my equipment or change my helmet. Harry is the guy behind the scenes who takes care of those things and makes my job much easier.

Q: What is your routine each day before you ride in the afternoon?

When I arrive in the jockey’s room in the morning, I read the Racing Form and watch replays of the horses I am scheduled to ride. Then I usually visit the massage therapist and mentally prepare for what I need to do to win races.

Q: What is your favorite part of being a jockey?

I look forward to going out there and riding to win.

Q: What are the most important traits for a successful jockey to have?

The most important trait for a successful jockey to have is discipline. You must be disciplined in your work ethic and always maintain your focus.