Apprentice jockey Chris Elliott, the 18-year-old son of Kentucky Derby winning rider Stewart Elliott, had the first two-win day of his career Wednesday at Parx, booting home 15-1 Midnight Act and then 41-1 shot Whiskey Prize.
That success couldn’t have come at a better time.
Elliott plans to split his time this fall and winter between Aqueduct and Parx. He is named on 11 horses over the first three days of the Belmont at the Big A meet that starts Friday.
“I’m excited to be here. New York is the place to be,” Elliott said Thursday while mingling with horsemen at Belmont Park.
:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports
After spending Thursday morning in New York, Elliott headed to Delaware Park where he won his only mount of the day, Synergism, for trainer John Servis. It was Elliott's 18th winner from 200 mounts since beginning his career at Lone Star in April. He begins the Aqueduct meet as a seven-pound apprentice and will retain that status until he reaches 40 wins at which time he will become a five-pound apprentice. He would then retain his five-pound apprentice until at least July 2025. He achieved his fifth career victory on July 19 at Monmouth, a meet at which he rode seven winners from 78 mounts
“I got a lot of experience there, I won my first stakes there, I got to ride with some good riders and learned a lot,” Elliott said.
Though his father has been a successful jockey, amassing 5,000 wins including the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness aboard Smarty Jones, Elliott has said it wasn’t always his dream to follow his father’s career path. Elliott got on horses only two years ago and said he "fell in love with it.”
Apprentice riders typically have success in New York in the winter. Elliott said he is prepared if he struggles to find the winner’s circle this fall.
“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” he said. “We got to work for it.”
Elliott will be represented in New York by Jose Santos Jr. Bobby Martel will continue as his agent at Parx.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.