Antonio Fresu, a fourth-generation jockey from Italy, makes the next stop on his American adventure riding July 6 on Horseshoe Indianapolis' showcase card.
Fresu's three mounts include Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Stronghold, the 2-1 favorite in the $300,000 Indiana Derby (G3) for 3-year-olds, and 2023 Chandelier Stakes (G2) winner Chatalas, making her 2024 debut in the co-featured $200,000 Indiana Oaks (G3) for 3-year-old fillies. He also rides multiple graded stakes winner Masteroffoxhounds for the first time in the $100,000 Jonathan B. Schuster Memorial on turf for Phil D'Amato, also the trainer of Stronghold.
Fresu was riding in his native Italy and spending the winters in Dubai when prominent American trainer Doug O'Neill and the jockey's good friend and Dubai agent, Michael Adolphson, encouraged him to try America. Fresu made the jump in the spring of 2023, and soon became one of California's leading riders.
"Michael was always pushing me to come here, was always telling me about it," Fresu said. "He put me in contact with Doug O'Neill, and Doug said, 'You really should come.' I took my chance and decided to move. It worked out quite well, I would say. After three months we went to Del Mar, and I didn't want to leave anymore.
"America is different from what you see outside than inside. I always watched races here, but to be here is kind of different. To me it's more fun. I like it. I like new experiences. That's why I like to go to other racetracks to visit and try to do well."
The Santa Anita Derby, in which Eric and Sharon Waller's homebred Stronghold beat Imagination by a neck, was Fresu's first grade 1 victory in America.
"It's a prestigious race, we were really happy because that was the ticket to go to the Kentucky Derby, too," Fresu said. "The horse fought really hard to the wire to win that race. That was amazing. He was in top form that day, and hopefully he can repeat it in the Indiana Derby."
Winning the Santa Anita Derby, "put you in the eye of people even outside California," he said. "It's a goal to win grade 1s. To win races like this is why you work so hard. That's when it pays off."
Fresu believes travel—including to New Mexico for a victory in the Sunland Park Derby (G3)—contributed to Stronghold's seventh place in the Kentucky Derby (G1).
"The horse is feeling great, and he's good to go again," Fresu said. "I thought the horse ran great from his position in the gate, post 18. I was right behind the speed. At the quarter pole, I made a move because I was traveling really well. The horse went for a bit and then flattened out. The trip in the Kentucky Derby is a little longer, and he just kind of tired the last furlong. I was really happy the way he ran. Even though we weren't successful that day, finishing seventh was great, really."
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
