The busiest jockey at Los Alamitos on Friday will be the leading rider after the first three days of the track’s December meeting. Apprentice jockey Alexis Centeno is booked to ride all eight races on the Friday program. Through Sunday, Centeno led all riders with four wins, closely pursued by four riders with three wins – Abel Cedillo, Drayden Van Dyke, Juan Hernandez, and Ricardo Gonzalez. The 11-day Los Alamitos meeting runs through Dec. 20 and the riding title may not be decided until that day. For Centeno, a 27-year-old from Puerto Rico, the role of leading rider has a nice ring to it. “I hope that I can win this meet,” Centeno said. “I like the way that it is going.” :: Get DRF Betting Strategies for the Saturday card at Los Alamitos Centeno has been in increasing demand in the last six months, winning 22 races since his arrival in the United States earlier this year. Centeno won his first race in the United States at Los Alamitos on July 4, and followed with six wins at the Del Mar summer meeting, seven victories at the Santa Anita fall meeting, and four wins at Del Mar in November. Centeno, who has 25 career wins including victories in Puerto Rico, claims seven pounds, which will be reduced to five pounds following his 35th win. He will retain apprentice status until July, according to his agent, Erick Arroyo. Wednesday, Centeno had a busy morning at Santa Anita, working horses for trainer Craig Lewis, who often uses the apprentice for races. “You get a nice weight break with a guy who has the ability,” Lewis said of Centeno. “He works a lot of horses for us. “He’s pretty advanced. Is he perfect? Of course not. Are there better riders? Of course. You have to take it under consideration.” Lewis trains Centeno’s favorite runner, Brickyard Ride, the winner of consecutive allowance races on dirt and turf at Santa Anita on Sept. 27 and Oct. 24. Centeno is among a group of apprentice jockeys attempting to secure long-term roles among Southern California riders, along with Henry Lopez, Jessica Pyfer, and Santos Rivera, all of whom have mounts on Friday afternoon at Los Alamitos. :: Want to get your Past Performances for free? Click to learn more. Lopez rides primarily at the Los Alamitos night meeting of lower-level Thoroughbreds. Pyfer began her career in September and has ridden nine winners. Rivera, who has mounts in seven races on Friday, has won 54 races in a career that began in July. Rivera was third in the standings at the Golden Gate Fields meeting, which began on Oct. 22 and was paused last month because of a coronavirus outbreak in the track’s stable area. None has a background quite like Centeno, who was working in a supermarket in Puerto Rico when a customer suggested he consider going to jockey’s school. Two years later, Centeno began riding in Puerto Rico and he soon moved to the United States. “I wanted to try it and I liked it,” he said.