Northern Kentucky Jockey Closing In On 5,000 Career Victories

CINCINNATI (AP) - A northern Kentucky jockey whose career nearly ended 18 months ago is on the verge of joining an elite group of jockeys who have won five-thousand races.

Perry Ouzts (Oo-tz) of Hebron, Kentucky needs 15 more wins to reach the milestone.

The Daily Racing Form says that only 21 other jockeys have won five-thousand races in the United States.

The 52-year-old was 18 when he got his first win aboard a horse named Rablu at Beulah Park near Columbus.

Like many veteran jockeys, Ouzts has been injured more times than he can remember.

But the prospect of getting winning number five-thousand has kept Ouzts racing -- even after a January 2006 racing mishap at Turfway Park in which he broke his right arm and five vertebrae.

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