LOS ALAMITOS, CA—SEPTEMBER 27, 2018—Oscar Andrade Jr., the son of record setting jockey Oscar Andrade Sr. and graded stakes winning trainer Elena Andrade, will make his riding debut aboard My Friend Cindy in the seventh race on Saturday night at Los Alamitos. Andrade Jr., who turned 17-years-old just a week ago, will pilot the Come On Boots mare from post number two in the 300-yard dash.

The night will be an emotional one for Elena, who conditions My Friend Cindy.

"All he wanted to do for his birthday was to ride (for the first time)," she said. "It's just a tad late, but (September 27) also marked 17 years that Oscar had his accident. It's a lot to take in this week."

Andrade Sr. piloted Secret Card and Sassy Smith to 2000 and 2001 Kindergarten Futurity wins, respectively, and also set a Los Alamitos record with seven Quarter Horse wins during a single night.

He set the record during the Ed Burke Million Futurity trials on June 5, 2001. Ten days after the birth of Oscar Jr., Andrade Sr. was injured in a riding accident that left him paralyzed from the chest down. Through the ups and downs that followed, the Andrades always remained involved and in love with Quarter Horse racing. Their decorated mare Corona Mas Fina produced multiple stakes winner Uno Corona Mas for the family and is also the dam of 2018 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap third place finisher Jess Mas.

Oscar Jr. has been around Quarter Horses his entire life and will now complete his dream of following on his father's legacy as a jockey at Los Alamitos.

"Hopefully, Oscar will pick up reins and finish what I started," said Andrade Sr. earlier this year. "Being a jockey was never pushed on our son because this is a profession that requires passion. It has to come from within. He decided this is what he wanted to do about a year ago and he's been working diligently to make it happen."

"I think I'll be fine if I can just have half the talent that my dad had," Andrade Jr. said. "My dad left me some big shoes to fill."

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Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com.