Posted: Friday, March 05, 2010 2:42 PM Apprentice jockey Tyler Kaplan, 16, won on his first ever mount on Thursday, capturing the fifth race at Santa Anita Park.

Soldier Betty, a five-year-old One Man Army mare ridden by Kaplan, steadily advanced from fifth in the stretch to prevail by a half-length. Soldier Betty covered 1 1/16 miles on the synthetic Pro-Ride surface in 1:46.12.

“One of my goals was to win a race at Santa Anita and I’ve accomplished that,” Kaplan said. “When we hit the wire, it was amazing. I couldn’t believe it; I was right here.”

Kaplan graduated from high school at age 14 and currently is interning at Chris McCarron’s North American Riding Academy in Lexington. He also attended Frank Garza’s jockey school in Tehachapi, California.

“My three goals were to win a race at Santa Anita,” Kaplan said, “become a successful jockey, and win the Kentucky Derby (G1).”