Two noteworthy riding performances by Manny Franco and Kylee Jordan at completely different racing venues during the week of Sept. 26 through Oct. 2 led to a rare voting tie by the panel of racing experts for Jockey of the Week. The award honors jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
New York-based jockey Manny Franco travelled to Finger Lakes on Monday for the mount on Christophe Clement trainee Acoustic Ave in the Aspirant Stakes for NY-bred 2-year-olds. Off as the prohibitive favorite, Acoustic Ave rolled to a 9 1/4 length win in 1:05.48 for 5 1/2 furlongs.
Returning to his NYRA base, Franco rode Finest Work for the first time for trainer George Weaver in the John Hettinger Stakes for NY-bred fillies and mares on Friday. Breaking from post nine, Finest Work held off a late run from race favorite Marvelous Maude to win by a half length in 1:48.50 for 1 1/8 miles.
On Saturday, Franco was in the irons on Dancing Buck for trainer Michelle Nevin in the Grade 3 Belmont Turf Sprint for 3-year-olds and up. Off as the second choice in the nine-horse field, Dancing Buck broke sharp and lead at every point of call to post a five-length victory in 1:09.60 for six furlongs on turf.
Trainer Chad Brown called on Franco to ride Rocky Sky in the G3 Fasig-Tipton Waya on Sunday. Racing in fourth early, Rocky Sky ranged up on the final turn and held off stablemate Capital Structure to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 2:21.42 for the 1 3/8 miles.
Franco's weekly statistics included six wins and total purse earnings of $615,685. He is currently in second place in the standings at the Belmont at Big A meet.
On the final weekend of racing at Prairie Meadows, apprentice jockey Kylee Jordan, 20, won the Iowa Sorority Stakes at six furlongs with My Happiness for trainer Christine Hicklin and the Iowa Cradle Stakes also at six furlongs on Tyler's Tribe for trainer Tim Martin. Tyler's Tribe won for the fifth time with Jordan in the saddle for all five victories. The connections of Tyler's Tribe are pointing the gelding to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
Jordan topped the Prairie Meadows standings with 81 wins and $2,086,624 in total purses for her second leading rider title. Jordan won her first leading rider title at Will Rogers Downs earlier this year. She is the daughter of Iowa-based trainer Todd Jordan and made her riding debut and recorded her first career win at Will Rogers on May 3, 2021.
Jordan's weekly statistics included seven wins and total purses of $268,812.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Tyler Gaffalione who won the G2 Lukas Classic and won the leading rider title at Churchill Downs, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with four graded stakes wins, and Mychel Sanchez who recorded his 1,000th career win.
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