It didn’t take long for jockey Chantal Sutherland to get her footing back following her return to the United States.
After spending the winter riding for UAE champion trainer Bhupat Seemar, Sutherland made her first race back to America a winning one, capturing the second race aboard 2-5 favorite Captain Oats ($5.20) during Saturday’s opening day card at Monmouth Park.
A crowd of 7,268 welcomed Thoroughbred racing back to the Jersey Shore, with the all-sources handle of $3,805,445 coming in just $117,638 shy of last year’s opening day total despite two fewer races being run on the eight-race program, despite two fewer races being run.
Sutherland’s last ride in the United States prior to that was Sept. 14, 2025 at Monmouth Park. She had been riding and galloping horses the past eight months in Dubai until two weeks ago.
“It was amazing to be there again,” she said. “I had a good time and the Dubai World Cup (G1) was amazing. I wasn’t riding that night, but I did TV commentary for the race, which was fun.
“I’m happy to be back at Monmouth Park again. This is my base now.”
Sutherland, a two-time riding champion in her native Canada, had modest success in her first summer at Monmouth Park a year ago, winning with 12 of her 77 mounts. That marked her return from a horrific spill at Gulfstream Park on May 6, 2023 – just as she was preparing to come to Monmouth to ride full-time that summer – when her horse was spooked by geese. Her left arm was dislocated completely from her shoulder, with an intensive 18-month rehabilitation finally allowing her to return to riding after she was forced to sit out all of 2024.
“I’m happy to be riding after all I’ve been through,” she said. “Last year I was still trying to get my strength back. I feel much better about myself physically this year.”
Her goal for the summer is simple.
“Of course we all want to be leading rider but with Paco Lopez being here, being in the top three is on my radar,” she said.
Lopez, seeking a record-tying 13th Monmouth Park riding title, issued a quick reminder, though, of who rules at the Jersey Shore track, winning three of the eight races on the first card of the 50-day meet. Samuel Marin, who set a record in winning the recent Tampa Bay riding title after finishing second in the Monmouth Park standings last year, won four races on the card, making Sutherland the only rider besides Lopez and Marin to record a win on the day.
Sutherland’s win came aboard a horse trained by Jorge Delgado, last year’s leading trainer at Monmouth Park.
“I loved Dubai. I went there two winters ago after my injury and enjoyed it so much that I wanted to go back this winter instead of riding in the United States then,” said Sutherland, who has won more than 1,200 career races. “It’s a great opportunity and a great experience. I rode and galloped Six Speed (13th in the Kentucky Derby [G1] a week ago) for Bhupat Seemar and thoroughly enjoyed my time there.”
After riding in three races Saturday, Sutherland is looking forward to business picking up considerably over the course of the meet.
“Hopefully I will be riding for as many trainers as I can at Monmouth this year,” she said.
This story was originally published by Paulick Report on May 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Paulick Report as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
