Jockey back in Panama for sick father

Panamanian jockey Dick Cardenas, who won the jockeys' title in 2011, has ended his six-year stint in Jamaica, having left the island for Panama on Wednesday.

According to his agent, Dwayne 'Hux' Grossett, the 29-year-old jockey who provided keen competition for returning champion Dane Nelson in this year's championship race, closed out his season with a double (Tracking Daniel, Raja Hindustani) last Saturday to finish second in the championship with 96 winners.

Grossett explained that Cardenas left before year's end owing to the failing health of his father.

"His father is seriously ill in Panama and that combined with the fact that he needed a break from the local scene after riding over 500 winners in just over six years, forced him to relocate at this time," said Grossett, who added that he might soon be riding at Aqueduct in New York or on the Florida circuit.

"His stint in Jamaica was highly successful and the hope is he will return to Caymanas Park sometime next year. Owing to his humble disposition, Cardenas was well liked and made many friends in Jamaica," said 'Hux', who is the new agent for big-race jockey Shane Ellis.

Cardenas was brought to Jamaica by the Husseys in late 2008. He started riding for trainer Percy Hussey and his mom Ruth on October 12 that year and notched his first major success aboard MISS RUTH in the Supreme Ventures Jamaica 2-y-o Stakes over a mile on Boxing Day.

victories

Highlights of his stint in Jamaica were winning his first and only jockeys' title in 2011 with 103 wins, his triple crown feat aboard the Richard Azan-trained MARK MY WORD in 2010, winning six consecutive races on a programme in September 2011, Superstakes success aboard MARK MY WORD in 2010 and 2011, not to mention a second derby winner in the front running outsider TECHNOCRAT for trainer Anthony 'Baba' Nunes and owner Elias Haloute.