Jockey Cliff Berry

BORN: 8/23/62, Joplin, Missouri

RESIDES: Jones, Oklahoma

FAMILY: Kim, wife; Baylin and Cale, sons           

Seemingly, Berry enjoys one excellent year after another. During the 2009 Oaklawn meeting he won with 29 of his 222 mounts, sufficient for fifth place in the final meeting standings.           

“I am proud of my record in 2009 Oaklawn stakes,” mentioned Berry. 

His richest local triumph of the year was the $300,000 Rebel, which he won March 14 aboard Win Willy. On April 8, he roused Euphony to triumph in the $100,000 Bayakoa, then two days later captured the $150,000 Count Fleet Sprint aboard Semaphore Man, an Oaklawn Park favorite. 

Recently he was asked to name his three all-time most memorable of horses he’s ridden. Cliff listed Maysville Slew, Voladora and Raja Omega. 

“In 2003 I won my first big race, the $200,000 Winstar Distaff at Lone Star on Voladora,” he noted. “Raja Omega was a lesser horse, but a big favorite of mine. I won eight in a row on him.”           

Berry’s big day in 2004 came at Lone Star Park when he rode the veteran Maysville Slew to a neck victory in the $200,000 Dallas Turf Cup. 

“That put the old horse over a million in earnings,” said Berry. “He’s won 10 career stakes including the Northern Spur and Essex here at Oaklawn.” 

Nine times Cliff won the Remington Park jockey title.           

Berry has been riding 31 years. He started on quarter horses then, in 1980, switched to thoroughbreds. The move came at Louisiana Downs.  

"I started galloping horses for my dad when I was in high school," Cliff remembers. "My father, Bob Berry, who died five summers back, dealt in horses, not only thoroughbreds, but other breeds. I rode my first race at Midway Downs, an unrecognized meeting in Stroud, Oklahoma. Never did I suspect that I’d be still going strong more than 30 years later.”