Jockey Nik Goodwin won his 1,000th career thoroughbred race in June and is also one of the top quarter horse riders in the history of Canterbury. On Tuesday he guided the talented Xerxes Avenue to victory in the $50,000 Frances Genter Stakes.
The 3-year-old filly went to the lead at the start and never relinquished it, winning by one length over Double Bee Sting.
“The way she broke…, I really didn’t want to take her out of her element,” Goodwin said. The jockey’s original plan was “to let a couple of speed horses go” but when Xerxes Avenue found the lead she “ran really relaxed,” Goodwin said.
Xerxes Avenue is trained by Gary Scherer and is owned by Jeff Drown of St. Cloud, the same combo that brought Nik his 1,000th win on Saganaga.
In this video, Goodwin, a Minnesotan, discusses his career.
