Teenage jockey from Scott County wins first race of his young career
SADIEVILLE, KY (WTVQ)- Joe Bealmear has been around saddles and horse stalls for his entire life.
His parents, Laura and Ben, raised Joe and his siblings on horse back riding, racing and playing around on their farm.
After years of horse racing being all that the 19-year-old had ever known, he has staked his claim as a champion.
Bealmear won his first race ever at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs Arkansas on December 30. We Miss Arlington was the horse that he rode under the wire.
“Everything from start to finish was perfect. It went exactly how I wanted it to,” said Bealmear. “Halfway through the race I asked him for a bit more and his response to that told me ‘I’m going to win this race.'”
Bealmear has been in Arkansas for about a month now. He’s been an apprentice since shortly after graduating high school in 2022.
After riding at tracks across Kentucky, Bealmear decided to try out Oaklawn Park for the winter.
The apprentice jockey had worked out with We Miss Arlington before and through a moment of good fortune no less. One day at Oaklawn Park, Bealmear was walking around and wound up at a stall where a rider hadn’t shown up for trainer Jimmy DeVito.
The chance to breeze We Miss Arlington was offered by DeVito and gladly accepted by Bealmear.
Days later, the moment of a lifetime happened.
“It was great. I was so happy. I made all of my family proud. I wish I could get that feeling again,” said Bealmear.
Back in Kentucky, his family was overjoyed.
“I called my mom right after he went under the wire. She was crying. I was crying,” said Laura Bealmear.
“I fully expected it. I didn’t know when it was going to happen. I thought he rode so well from gate to wire that it didn’t surprise me. The whole ride was professional,” said Rae Eastwood, Joe’s grandmother.
Joe’s parents had short-lived careers as jockeys and they’re ecstatic with how their son has turned out.
“I was a little too big for the job. But, I won a stake race on a horse that my mom trained so it was a wonderful mother and daughter experience,” said Laura Bealmear.
Ben Bealmear had his days too, but an injury derailed his career. Before Joe’s father had to hang the sport up for good he had his first win at Oaklawn Park 44 years ago.
“We dug up my Dad’s old winning picture from 1980 so we plan on putting them up right next to each other,” said Joe.
Laura, Ben and the rest of the Bealmears weren’t at the race to see Joe win. But, the young jockey wasn’t worried.
“But I said to Joe ‘I’m so sad that we’re not there for your win picture,'” said Laura Bealmear. “He said ‘You’ll be there for my (Kentucky) Derby win.”
