Luciano Cabrera’s story is that of a groom who aspired to be a jockey and achieved his goal. It’s a tale of overcoming adversity for a rider who started from the bottom, almost from the basement, and reached the pinnacle. The story of someone who left his native country in search of new challenges, he transformed from someone born in a small town with little place on Argentina’s maps to becoming the leading jockey in Kuwait, where he has won 47 races during the current season.
Luciano is the son of a jockey who initially didn’t want him to follow the same path. Although there is a small distance between Kuwait and Dubai, it has been a significant journey for Cabrera. He recently visited Meydan for the first time during last Friday’s meeting. While luck may not have favored him in his three rides for Rashed Bouresly, the experience was a dream come true for him.
According to Luciano, the track at Meydan is one of the best and most beautiful in the world. “Sharing the jockeys’ room with stars like William Buick and Mickael Barzalona was a special moment, I felt so proud,” he revealed. “During the races, I didn’t feel intimidated because I was well-prepared to compete on an equal footing.” Married to Claudia and a father of three daughters, Cabrera arrived in Kuwait from Argentina in 2021 with a small suitcase and a contract to ride in Messila, Farwaniya, Ahmedi, and Jaha.
Despite not speaking a word of Arabic or English, he seized the opportunity without hesitation. Since December 20th of that year, he has won 111 races and continues to add to his tally. His dream is to ride for Godolphin, and he firmly believes that hard work will lead to opportunities. Luciano’s career has been a journey from strength to strength. The Dubai Carnival races have the best prizes in the Arab world, but Luiano does not dwell on that detail. “I never thought about the prizes I could win; always about enjoying myself and doing my best work. I only take it into account after the races,” he adds. Earning money doesn’t make Cabrera dizzy: “I am a very calm jockey, I also have a very good feeling with the horses and good rigor. My best moment was 2017 when I reached a victory tally of approximately 100 races in Argentina and got my first G1 with The Great Day. “Today, Kuwait is my second home, I live there with the Bin Gayam family. I thank them and the Bouresly stable for the opportunities.”
