Amidst a field in the 152nd Kentucky Derby that is packed with horses bred and trained in Marion County, one jockey in the starting gate with a deep connection to Ocala credits his family, faith, and dedication to the craft behind his debut in the biggest horse race in the world.
Cristian Torres, a rising star in the racing world, is set to make his Kentucky Derby debut this Saturday aboard Silent Tactic. His journey to the world’s most famous race is a story of resilience that passed directly through Ocala’s thoroughbred farms.
Born and raised in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, Torres lost his father at the age of 13. Although the loss devastated the young man, Torres pursued training as a jockey until the fall of 2017, when the devastation of Hurricane Maria disrupted his path.
Seeking a new start, Torres’s family brought him to the United States, where he began knocking on doors at local farms to find work.
His break came through his brother, Leandro Torres, who has worked for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse for eight years. Casse, who grew up in Ocala and whose father was one of the founders of Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company, has thousands of wins to his name in some of the most prestigious horse races in the world.
After Torres secured a position at Casse’s training center in Ocala, he trained and worked as an exercise rider, a period his family describes as a “new chapter” defined by discipline and faith.
Since beginning his professional riding career in 2019, Torres has quickly ascended the ranks, securing over 600 career wins and banking more than $30 million in total earnings.
“Cristian has experienced falls and difficult moments in races, but those moments have made him stronger. Every time he has gone through adversity, he has gotten back up with more strength, more maturity, and more determination to keep moving forward,” reads a statement from the family shared exclusively with Ocala-News.com.
In the past several years, Torres has dominated the Oaklawn Park meet in historic fashion, leading the standings in both wins and total purse earnings.
According to the Paulick Report, Torres is the only jockey in the history of Oaklawn to reach 100 victories in a single season, surpassing the mark in 2023. That year, Torres also set a single-season Oaklawn record for purse earnings and the following year, he broke that record.
Torres’s talent has taken him to major stages around the nation and even overseas, with performances in the Breeders’ Cup and racing circuits in Japan.
For Torres and his family, who have lived in the Calesa community in Ocala for the past three years, this weekend is the culmination of years of sacrifice.
“It is the result of years of sacrifice, faith, perseverance, discipline, and God’s grace. We believe God has been the key in this entire journey, because without God, we know we cannot accomplish anything. We are proud, grateful, and expectant for what is coming,” said the family.
They say they hope Torres’s story can be an inspiration to others to never give up and to pursue their dreams.
“We hope Cristian’s story can inspire others, especially young people, to believe that dreams can become reality when you hold on to faith, work hard, stay disciplined, and never give up,” reads a statement issued to Ocala-News.com by the Torres family.
The moment is especially poignant as Cristian rides Silent Tactic, a horse trained by Casse, who gave Torres his start in the American racing industry.
In addition to Torres’s ride in Saturday’s Derby, the jockey will also compete in the Kentucky Oaks this Friday.
The $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks is scheduled for 8:40 p.m. EST on Friday, May 1. That will be followed by the $5 million Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 2, at approximately 6:57 p.m. EST.
Ocala-News.com previously reported that at least nine horses competing in the upcoming Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks races this week have ties to Marion County, including several graduates of Ocala Breeders’ Sales.
Will you be cheering on Cristian Torres and the other individuals and horses with Marion County ties as they compete in Kentucky this week? Share your words of encouragement for all of them in a comment below or write a letter to the editor.