How many 19-year-olds who have been in the mainland US – and arrived speaking very little English – for less than two years have successfully achieved the American dream of home ownership? To accomplish that feat an individual has to be a hard worker and uniquely talented. 

According to agent Tom Stift, those are some of the major attributes possessed by his young client, Jeiron Barbosa.

The native of Puerto Rico and a graduate of the renowned jockey school there gave a hint to his special qualities when he won his very first two races in this country in March of 2022. 

Fast forward 19 months and Barbosa is riding likely favorite Double Crown in the Maryland Million Classic. Trained by Ray Ginter for Lynn Cash’s Built Wright Stables, Double Crown is 9-5 on the morning line following an easy win in the Polynesian Stakes at Pimlico Sept. 10. 

“Jeiron gets along with that horse real well, and he ran a big race last time in the Polynesian, so he has a big shot,” Stift said. Stift added that “on Maryland Million Day every contender goes all out” and cautioned that it will be a day of contentious races especially if the forecasted rain adds an additional variable. 

Double Crown has shown an affinity for an off track with two wins in seven outings, and he is out of a Two Punch mare.

Stift also likes his client’s chances on Cannon’s Roar (trained by Phil Capuano) in the Maryland Million Turf. He noted that although Jeiron is improving on every facet of his game, he has particularly become very adept at riding on the turf, learning to save ground and make a move at just the right time.

In the Turf Sprint, Barbosa will be aboard Grateful Bred for the first time. 

“New mounts just seem to respond to him, so he has a good chance,” Stift said. The hard-knocking seven-year old has won over $330,000 in his career and won this event two years ago. It will be interesting to see if Jeiron can keep the horse Grateful Bred trucking in the deep stretch of the race.

In the Distaff, perhaps the day’s best and most contentious race, Barbosa will be riding Response Time for trainer Hamilton Smith. He has won four times on this horse, including a stakes win last time in the Timonium Distaff. 

In the Lassie, Barbosa will ride Shine on Moon. The Cal Lynch trainee broke her maiden on the turf first time out and should be competitive here if her speed transfers to the dirt.

Regardless of how it goes for him Saturday, it is quite apparent that Barbosa has a very bright future, Stift said. Since beginning to ride professionally last year, he has already racked up nearly 330 wins with purse earnings north of $11 million.

“This young man does not drink or smoke,” Stift said. “He continues to work hard and has put on muscle since last year. His only weakness is a love of candy but he has no problems in making weight. When I first saw him, he looked like he was twelve and I questioned how he might do, but he has come a long way.”  

These are the qualities that have enabled the young rider to do well financially and purchase a home just a few months back. This was about the same time he captured his fourth Maryland Jockey title in two years when he captured the Fall f023 Pimlico title.

“He also is a fast and willing learner as demonstrated by the fact that he is mastering a new language,” Stift said.  

He relayed that in a recent conversation with Irad Ortiz, the veteran jockey told Barbosa that even when you reach the top, you have to continue to work hard. Given that Barbosa has been consistently winning at an 18 percent clip and is improving and maturing, there is no telling what his ceiling may be.

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