Wife of jockey Kent Desormeaux wins 1st race at Santa Anita

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Rosie Higgins rode her first career winner in the second race Thursday at Santa Anita, with Hall of Fame jockey and husband Kent

ARCADIA, Calif. (AP) Rosie Higgins rode her first career winner in the second race Thursday at Santa Anita, with Hall of Fame jockey and husband Kent Desormeaux watching in civilian attire.

Higgins guided Blue Law to a three-length victory in the $19,000 claiming race for lower-level horses. It was the 31-year-old jockey's fourth career mount. Blue Law paid $4.40 to win as the 6-5 favorite in the field of eight older horses.

Higgins is now some 5,711 victories behind her husband. Desormeaux said after the race he received a text message that read, ''Congratulations, Mr. Higgins.''

On Jan. 16, the couple rode against each other. Higgins made the lead out of the starting gate on a 69-1 shot and held it until her 45-year-old husband took over and won by 7 3/4 lengths aboard a horse trainer by his brother Keith Desormeaux.

Higgins described her first victory as ''awesome.'' She says she hopes it helps her career move forward.

Winning trainer Bob Hess Jr. says Higgins is patient and mindful of doing things correctly

As an apprentice, Higgins will carry 10 pounds less than veteran jockeys for one year from the date of her fifth career winner.