- News
- Horse Racing
- Racing Preview
- AQHA Racing Challenge
- Breeding
- Sales
- Quick Stakes Results
- Detail Race Results
- Qualifiers
- Leader Board
- Leading Sires
- Videos
- Auction Leaders
- Q-Racing
Streaming Video
© Coady Photography
SELMA, TX–JULY 30, 2024–Fourth-generation jockey Oscar Andrade, Jr. was born in California but might be calling Texas home in the future. His grandparents, aunts, and uncles have been involved in Quarter Horse racing, and his mother, Elena, is a trainer based at Los Alamitos.
Andrade’s father, Oscar, was a jockey who won two editions of the Grade 1 Kindergarten Futurity but was paralyzed from the waist down in an accident just ten days before the birth of his son. He successfully transitioned to training and has always been the guiding light for his son.
“The man is my inspiration,” admitted Andrade. “I have learned so much from him and the way he takes care of his horses.”
The 22-year-old rider began his career in 2019 and has ridden in California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Canada. This year, he united with trainer John Stinebaugh, winning eight races at Sam Houston Race Park in the 2024 Quarter Horse live racing season. He followed that with a successful meet at Retama Park.
The call from Stinebaugh, one of the most respected trainers in Quarter Horse racing, was huge for the young rider.
“John is a great trainer and very organized,” stated Andrade.
Stinebaugh, a multiple Grade 1 winning trainer with over 30 years in Quarter Horse racing, felt he would be a good fit.
“I watched him last summer at Ruidoso Downs,” explained Stinebaugh. “He was riding for Trey Wood but had a long list (of riders) ahead of him. He came to my barn, and I saw his work ethic in the mornings. He won on the first horse I put him on, so when I was looking for a jockey to ride for us in Texas, he was my choice.”
Andrade’s business is growing, and he credits his agent, Aubrey Vega, for her hard work. He also rides for Zackary Stinebaugh (John’s son), Tammy Johnson, Carlos Lopez, Gilberto Gonzalez, and Mario Loza.
“Zack and I get along really well,” stated Andrade. “We are both young and trying to make our mark in this business.”
Andrade entered last weekend at Retama Park tied for fourth with four wins, but that stat changed after a very successful Texas Summer Showdown with four stakes victories (Jess Rite in the Benny Pennington Memorial; Ontherocks in the TQHA 550; Ladys Gotta Jet in the TQHA Sophomore and Lethal Fast Cash in the Jones Bloodstock. He also finished third in the TQHA Classic and second in the Miss Retama Stakes, a record for the rider.
“I believe I won four races at Ajax Downs but never four stakes,” he said. “Going into Friday night. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I never look at the odds; neither does the horse, so we go to the gates looking to win.”
Andrade admitted that his father instilled a very important foundation in race riding, and it was front and center in his mind last weekend in San Antonio.
“My dad always told me to ride from the heart,” he explained. Last Friday, I was not thinking about the number of races I could win and didn’t even admit how winning four stakes meant until the next day. It was surreal, and I felt like I was on cloud nine, knowing that hard work pays off with a night like that!”
Last year, Andrade spent months healing from a broken ankle. Then, last fall at Lone Star Park, he suffered another setback when he broke his finger in a training accident. That sidelined him for the remainder of the meet, but he looks forward to returning to the Grand Prairie oval once Retama Park wraps on August 17.
He will have a newfound confidence, bolstered by the support of his family and girlfriend of four years, Trista Martinez. The daughter of California-based jockey Freddie Martinez understands the demands of the sport.
“She has been the backbone of my success,” stated Andrade. “I love doing what I do, and Trista is with me every step of the way!”
He will also be supported by a growing fan base of racing fans this year, who have seen his skill in the saddle and megawatt smile at Sam Houston and Retama Park!