Contact Information:
Bob Roberts (216-662-8600)
July 18, 2008
www.thistledown.com
STOKES WEARS THISTLEDOWN RIDING CROWN
Louis Stokes, despite being winless in three tries on the getaway program, claimed his first ever riding championship as the 56-day Summit-Thistledown Meeting concluded Thursday at Thistledown.
Stokes, 29, a native of Lafayette, La., won 38 races. Weldon Cloninger, Jr. and Jeffrey Skerrett, co-champions at last year's corresponding meeting, finished second and third with 36 and 35 winners, respectively.
"It feels great to win my first title, a lot better than last year," said Stokes, who suffered four cracked ribs and a punctured lung, the result of an early season spill at Thistledown.
Jeff Radosevich won the Summit-Thistledown Meeting training title with 34 winners. Rodney Faulkner was second with 29 winners. For Radosevich, the championship is his 12th at Thistledown. He is the only horseman in track history to be champion jockey as well as trainer. Radosevich was the leading rider in 1988.
The 51-day Randall Meeting begins today at Thistledown and runs through Sept. 28.