EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. – They first met through an introduction by trainer Bill White at Calder. Paco Lopez was a 10-pound apprentice at the time. Agent Cory Moran had Junior Alvarado as his only client then and was looking to add a bug rider.

That was 2007.

More than 19,000 starts later, Lopez and Moran are still going strong as a team, with the 38-year-old jockey heading into the weekend just six wins shy of 4,000 for his career. Lopez is listed to ride in five of the six races during Friday’s Monmouth-at-Meadowlands card and then all six on Saturday.

When Lopez does reach that milestone he will be just the 85^th North American rider to do so and one of 27 still active, according to Equibase.

“It’s been a lot of hard work and it seems like it was a long way to get to this point, and I have done it almost the entire time with Cory Moran as my agent,” said Lopez. “It will be a nice accomplishment to get to 4,000. I started riding at 21 in this country. I’m 38 now. I’m feeling a little old.”

But not slowing down.

Lopez is coming off his 11^th riding title at Monmouth Park, two behind the track record held by Joe Bravo, has won 200 or more races for seven straight years and is currently second nationally in wins with 225. Irad Ortiz is the current leader with 243 wins entering the day.

But it’s the sustained partnership between Lopez and Moran that is almost as impressive.

“It’s rare. The only other example I can think of an agent and jockey being together this long was Earlie Fires and his agent (Paul Blair). They were together Fires’ whole career, I think,” said Moran. “But it’s rare. Usually if a rider wins 2,000, 3,000 or 4,000 races they’ve been through a few agents. When riders are not doing well they’re not happy and they will switch agents.

“With Paco it has been a steady stream of winning.”

Lopez compared their relationship to a marriage.

“I don’t know how to explain it,” said Lopez. “It’s like when you’re married. Sometimes things are very good, sometimes you are a little mad at each other. But you get over it and get back to working together.

“We both work hard. That’s a big part of it”

Lopez, who hails from Veracruz, Mexico, said he began riding “at 4 or 5.” He said he won more than 5,000 races growing up in Mexico, the majority on quarter horses.

“It’s different in Mexico. Every day there is a fair with races, so I would ride every day, 365 days a year,” he said. “One day I rode 14 races and had 13 winners.”

Moran said it’s Lopez’ work ethic that separates him from so many other jockeys.

“His work ethic is second to none. He rides everywhere,” said Moran. “In the next couple of weeks he will ride at Delaware, The Meadowlands, Parx and in New York. On Sunday he is riding at Hawthorne. And he won a race last week at Gulfstream.

“His work ethic is amazing. He drives me. He’s tireless. If he is not riding he is not happy. He wants to ride every day.”

Lopez said his drive comes from winning. That’s it, he said. Nothing more.

“My motivation is to win races,” he said. “It doesn’t matter where. And I am trying to win every race I ride.

“The thing I am most proud of is my consistency. It’s like any job. You have to be consistent with what you do. I feel I have been consistent. If you combine that with hard work good things will happen. Nothing is given to you.”

As for the 4,000-win milestone, Lopez said it’s another significant achievement along with so many of his others.

“My son is really excited about it,” he said. “But for me it’s just a number. I just want to keep riding and keep winning.”