[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 47 (Wednesday, April 10, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E410-E411]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING KEVIN KRIGGER

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN

                         of the virgin islands

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 10, 2013

  Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Mr. Speaker, when the horses line up in Churchill 
Downs for the running of the Kentucky Derby next month, all eyes in my 
district, the U.S. Virgin Islands, will be on young Kevin Krigger, a 
jockey from my home island of St. Croix, who will be riding the horse 
Goldencents.
  We are all proud of Kevin, who grew up in LaVallee and attended 
Central High School. According to Kevin, he has always wanted to be a 
jockey and grew up in the sport, riding horses on the beaches and 
country roads of the island and challenging anyone he could to a race. 
Before he was recruited by other Virgin Islands born jockeys who race 
in the States to join their ranks, he was well known on the tracks of 
St. Croix, St. Thomas and Tortola as a talent to watch. He proved 
himself riding on the West Coast, in particular at Emerald Downs in 
Seattle, Washington before his historic win on Saturday at the Santa 
Anita Derby.
  With Saturday's win, Kevin Krigger has become the first African 
American to win the Santa Anita Derby. Last fall, he was the first 
African American jockey to win a million dollar race in Louisiana's 
Delta Jackpot. If he rides Goldencents to victory in the Kentucky Derby 
next month, he will become the first African American to do so since 
1902. Goldencents is co-owned by the stable of Louisville basketball 
coach Rick Pitino and is trained by Doug O'Neill.
  Mr. Speaker, Kevin Krigger's family and fans in the U.S. Virgin 
Islands will be cheering wildly on the first Saturday in May. I 
congratulate his mother Averil Simmonds and father Albert Krigger, Jr. 
We are all proud of this young man and his accomplishments and wish him 
Godspeed in this and all of his future endeavors.

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