Jockey Justin Shepherd

Born:  8/13/86 Resides: Piedmont, Oklahoma Family: SingleJustin

Shepherd enjoyed a solid season in 2007, booting home 17 winners, 19 second-place finishers and 18 thirds, while earning $386,220 in purses.

“I am pleased with the way my career in going,” he said recently. “I like the circuit I have now, that being from Oaklawn to Lone Star to Remington. I don’t foresee any change in 2008.”

Spa fans will remember him as a bug-rider. He emerged the leading Oaklawn apprentice here in 2004 as his 37 winners placed him seventh in the overall standings.

The youth, 21, is the son of Sherri Shepherd, a trainer, and David Shepherd, a former jockey and one-time important figure in the Jockey Guild, Inc.

Young Shepherd rode more than 100 winners with the apprentice allowance.

Now, as a journeyman rider, he observes, “a critical time for a rider is just after losing the bug.

You must prove to everyone that you can ride without the allowance.”

The thrill of Shepherd’s career came at Keeneland in 2004 when he roused Josh’s Madelyn from last place in the field of 10 fillies to win the $224,200 Raven Run Stakes.

Asked who has been particularly helpful in advising him to ride, Shepherd replied, “Richard Migliori, when I was riding in New York. He’d answer every question. If he saw a young rider make a mistake in a race, he’d later take him aside and show how to correct it.”