Santa Anita jockey keeps a high profile on Internet and reality television
Jockey Joe Talamo takes Kentucky Derby hopeful I Want Revenge for a workout at Churchill Downs on Tuesday in Louisville, Ky. The 135th Kentucky Derby is Saturday.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Maybe the only place where it’s hard to catch Joe Talamo is on the race track.
The 19-year-old jockey is only too available to fill you in on his life everywhere else.
Twitter? Talamo does. He’s got more than 700 people following his countdown to Saturday’s Kentucky Derby aboard likely favorite I Want Revenge. His latest “tweet” on Monday: “Just got done playing golf at Robby Albarado’s golf foundation. About to go to Churchill Downs for a benefit dinner.”
Facebook? Check. A fan site dedicated to one of the sport’s rising stars boasts 250 members, significantly more than similar clubs touting accomplished rivals Garrett Gomez and Julien Leparoux.
Reality TV? Yep. He’s been one of the breakout stars during the debut season of “Jockeys,” an Animal Planet docudrama that follows the daily lives of a handful of riders at Santa Anita.
“I just want to grow the game,” Talamo said.
Teenage success stories at the Derby don’t come around often. Steve Cauthen won the Triple Crown aboard Affirmed as an 18-year-old in 1978. Ronnie Franklin was 19 when he piloted Spectacular Bid to victory in 1979.
“It’s quite an honor just to have my name be said in the same sentence as them two,” he said.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Forward Alex Tyus has decided to remain with Florida, changing his mind about 10 days after announcing plans to transfer. He averaged 12.5 points and a team-best 6.2 rebounds last season.
CYCLING: Lance Armstrong will compete in the Tour of the Gila in Albuquerque this week after a rule that bars top pro teams from sending organized squads to national-level races was relaxed. It will be his first race since breaking his collarbone last month.
TENNIS: Former French Open finalist Guillermo Coria retired from tennis at age 27 on Tuesday. . . . The WTA Tour says Maria Sharapova will miss next week’s Italian Open and the Madrid Open the following week as she recovers from right shoulder surgery.