Rodney Prescott
Rodney Prescott who has attained his 3,000th career win, is having an eventful December. Earlier this month, he was one of five jockeys nominated for the 2013 George Woolf Memorial Award. Nominations are made and votes cast by members of the Jockeys Guild. The George Woolf Award nomination is not the first time Prescott has been recognized by his peers. As leading apprentice at River Downs in 1994, he was honored with the Rodney Dickens Award, presented by the River Downs jockey colony to the rider who shows outstanding sportsmanship and ability during his first season. Prescott, 38, grew up around horses in his hometown of Portland, Ind., and as a youngster competed in barrel races, chariot races, and pole bending contests. After graduating from high school, he was introduced to racing when Quarter Horse rider Carter Rilie showed him around bush tracks in Illinois and helped him land his first job galloping horses. Prescott first worked with Thoroughbreds at River Downs as a groom for the late Barbara Holbrook, for whom he rode his first mount. A month later, in June 1994, he rode his first winner, also for Holbrook at River Downs. Riding primarily in the Midwest, Prescott was the nation’s second-leading rider by wins in 2005. He holds multiple riding titles from Hoosier Park, where he is the Indiana track’s all-time leader, and also has leading rider titles from Indiana Downs and Turfway Park. He has earned purses totaling more than $35 million. Prescott makes his home in Cincinnati with his wife, Beth Anne, and their children, Anna and Austin.
