By this time next month, journeyman Horacio Karamanos expects to be back riding on the Mid-Atlantic circuit he has called home for more than two decades. Before he goes, the Argentina native will be happy to finish out what has been an enjoyable first full winter at Gulfstream Park’s Championship Meet.
 
Entering Friday’s program, where he is named in four of nine races, Karamanos had finished third or better on 17 of 65 mounts (39 percent) with four wins, riding for 18 different trainers. Fifteen of those rides came for Maryland-based Mike Trombetta, a regular client.
 
“I’ve never been here full-time,” Karamanos said. “There’s a lot of good riders here. The big trainers come with their riders, so I pick up some mounts. Mike Trombetta has supported me a lot so I really appreciate it. I ride for him all year round at Maryland and Colonial [Downs]. I’m working for him and he helps me, so it’s good. I’m happy.”
 
Karamanos typically rides the winter at Laurel Park but opted to spend this winter in Hallandale Beach, where he has owned a condo since 2007. He won nearly 1,500 races in Argentina before coming to the U.S. full-time, notching his first domestic winner on Hallow Connection July 18, 2000 at Calder Race Course.

“I always stayed in Maryland all winter but the winter was going to be slow this year. It looked like a lot of short fields. My family came, too, so I decided to do the winter here. I’m planning to go back to Maryland in April,” Karamanos said. “I stay here and enjoy this beautiful weather. I won some races and ran well in some other races. I didn’t have that much business, but I felt like I did pretty good for less business than what I usually have.”
 
Karamanos made his stateside debut Jan. 24, 1997 at Gulfstream, returning to the U.S. to stay three years later. His first Gulfstream win came in a Jan. 12, 2001 starter handicap aboard Polly’s Comet.
 
Since 2002 Karamanos has been based in Maryland, where he owns multiple meet titles at Laurel and Pimlico Race Course as well as Colonial Downs in Virginia, where he is the track’s all-time winningest rider.
 
Overall Karamanos owns 2,682 wins, 11 of them in graded-stakes including Laurel’s Barbara Fritchie (G2) three times and Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash (G3) twice, and more than $78 million in purse earnings. He reached single-season career highs of 237 wins in 2002 and $5.054 million in purses earned in 2022.
 
Karamanos’ best horse was multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire mare Page McKenney.
 
“Over the years I would come on days off and go back to Maryland, but we decided to stay all winter this year,” he said. “It’s the first time I spend the whole winter. I’ve enjoyed it very much. It’s very competitive but I’m so happy to be here. I ride one or two a day and seven, eight, 10 a week so that’s pretty good. I’m staying fit and preparing for Maryland and Colonial Downs.”