OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Jockey Kendrick Carmouche became the 69th jockey in North America to win 4,000 career races when he guided Crimson Light to victory in Saturday’s eighth race at Aqueduct, a win that set off an unusual celebration.  After getting his picture taken in the winner’s circle, Carmouche ran over to the apron, jumped a small fence and took a photo with a few dozen of his hardcore fans who often scream the loudest when Carmouche wins a race.  “I wanted to share that with them, they deserve it just as much as anybody,” Carmouche said. “To give back to them, it’s an honor.”  Following that interaction with the fans, Carmouche did a post-race interview in which he got emotional talking about his father Sylvester, a former jockey who died last Aug. 24. Sylvester Carmouche would have celebrated a birthday on Friday.  “I’d like to thank my dad, he’s not here right now, but he is shining a light over me,” Carmouche said. “Four-thousand, man. A little boy from the Bayou. To be doing this much work in the Big Apple, it’s my dream come true. I love this sport. I love fighting for a win, we don’t win all the time, but to get to 4,000 ….”  :: Access the most trusted data and information in horse racing! DRF Past Performances and Picks are available now. Carmouche won four races on Saturday’s 13-race card, including the Excelsior Stakes aboard Phileas Fogg for his 4,001st career victory.  Carmouche, 41, began his riding career in Louisiana, but made his mark when he moved his tack to Philadelphia Park, where he won seven meet titles from 2008-11. Carmouche moved his tack to New York in 2015 and, though the New York Racing Association colony is not an easy one to break into, Carmouche more than held his own. He’s won two Aqueduct meet titles.  “Over the years when I was in Philadelphia, I was getting in tune with some of the things I need to be a really good jockey,” Carmouche said in a Friday interview with Daily Racing Form. “I think I graduated from that in Philadelphia and it made me who I am today.  “I figured whenever I made the move to New York, it would be tough, but off of talent and just preparing myself for that moment I never had a doubt about making it here,” Carmouche added. “I always knew once I came to New York I would make it work. I’m that person. I never have a plan B, I always have a plan A.”  Carmouche credited his former agent John “Kidd” Breeden with helping make the transition to New York.  “I have to take my hat off to him, no other agent wanted to do that, no other agent wanted to take a shot with bringing me to New York,” Carmouche said. “If it hadn’t been for him you wouldn’t be sitting down talking to me right now.”  When Breeden decided to go back to Philadelphia, Carmouche was represented by Kevin Bubser and, more recently, Jim Riccio Jr.  John Servis, a trainer who teamed with Carmouche for many wins at Parx Racing, encouraged Carmouche to make the move to New York a decade ago. Coincidentally, Servis was at Aqueduct on Saturday winning the Grade 3 Distaff with Irish Maxima in the race right before Carmouche reached his milestone.  “I told him you’re crazy for not [going to New York], you’ll do well,” Servis said. ”His personality, everybody loves him, and he rides very well. Unfortunately, he hasn’t really gotten the shots that I thought he would get. I thought maybe he’d get some better shots on some better horses. He’s done great, he’s won 4,000 races, but he hasn’t really gotten to ride those really good horses.”  Though Carmouche won the Grade 1 Cigar Mile in 2020 aboard True Timber, he said his victory aboard Researcher in the $500,000 Charles Town Classic in 2009 was his most important win.  “It was the first time I ever got to ride with John Velazquez, David Flores, Mike Smith,” Carmouche said. “I rode such a beautiful race. I saved ground and swung out and won the race. I can say that’s what made me believe that I could go ride with anybody after I rode with those guys.”  Sometimes Carmouche gets pigeon-holed as a speed rider. But he’s proven he’s more than that.  “I didn’t win 4,000 wins going to the lead every single time,” Carmouche said. “I want to win, I try to win on every horse. Not every horse can win, but I try to win.”  :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.