Jose Silva Jr. truly did start from the bottom and work his way up. At age 18, he became a groom for his dad’s horses, caring for them as if they were his own.
After his dad thought he succeeded at that, Silva Jr. transitioned to an agent to better understand the condition book. Again, after enough time, dedication and hard work spent as an agent, Silva Jr. moved up the totem pole. This time his new role would be assistant trainer. He spent his first summer at Canterbury working for Shawn Davis.
Silva Jr. eventually got his trainer’s license and shortly after he bought a horse. After training for just one month, it was show time. When he left Canterbury, Silva Jr. went to Turf Paradise and started training on his own. In 2018, he won five out of 20 starts.
Here, Silva Jr. has six horses of his own, including Ari Gia who won the $50,000 Lady Slipper Stakes on May 11th. He had claimed Ari Gia for $6,250 in early November.
This young man who was raised in Tijuana, Mexico in the shadow of Agua Caliente has come a long way since his job as a groom. Silva Jr. said he wouldn’t be here today without the advice, motivation and support from his dad along with an incredible amount of hard work.
