South African apprentice Jose Barnes had a winner in his first meeting in the USA this weekend after being granted a work permit last month.
It was the perfect Mother’s Day present for his mother Monica, who together with Barnes’ father Milton followed his progress through telephone contact with relatives living in the USA.
“I first and foremast want to thank trainer Charles Laird for helping keep Jose’s race riding dream alive,” said Monica. “Charles will know what I mean.”
Jose Barnes (Nkosi Hlophe)
Barnes had three rides for his Santa Anita-based guv’nor Steven Miyadi in a dirt track meeting at Golden Gate racecourse in San Francisco on Saturday.
He had a chance of making a winning USA debut as he was aboard the favourite in the fifth race, but his mount broke awkwardly and could only manage fourth place.
However, in the seventh race Barnes announced his arrival in the land of the stars and stripes with a fine ride aboard Two Steps Of Glory, who paid US$11.20 a win on the Tote. Fittingly the winning owner was ex-patriot South African film producer Gary Barber. Barnes tracked the leaders to the turn, brought his mount two wide into the straight and she then responded to urgings to just get up by a head despite lugging out in the final furlong.
Barnes’ final ride of the meeting yielded a fifth place finish.
Barnes’, who grew up close to Clairwood racecourse, was mentored in his early days by jockey great Garth Puller and was later accepted by the South African Jockeys Academy.
He was officially the shortest rider in South Africa.
After taking 57 rides to break his duck he grew in confidence and became one of the most sort after claiming apprentices in the country, including having a strong association with the Charles Laird yard. He proved many detractors wrong in the process.
However, he was then struck down by a debilitating back injury, which saw him side-lined for months. After an operation he made a brief comeback, but was written off by all and sundry once again after being forced back on to the side-lines.
Monica Barnes then spent her life savings on an operation for Jose performed in the UK by renowned spinal surgeon Martin Knight.
The Barnes family are thankful to Knight as Jose’s back has not given him any problems since.
Jose rode 27 winners and had 141 places in 449 rides in South Africa and having improved his record in just one meeting in the USA the determined youngster is deservedly back on the path to success.
By David Thiselton
