The trademark smile remains, but jockey Ricardo Santana's return to Oaklawn comes with some notable changes since the 2021-2022 meeting began last December.
Now 30, Santana said he's no longer driven to win titles in Hot Springs, is riding again for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and has a new agent, Jimmy Riccio.
Santana's 671 victories at Oaklawn – seventh-highest career total in history – and eight local riding titles were all with Ruben Munoz, the agent/second father who brought the jockey from his native Panama to the United States in 2009.
Munoz said last spring he was taking a break and that Matt Muzikar, the agent for nationally prominent jockey Tyler Gaffalione, would have Santana's book in Kentucky. The move left Santana's status for the 2022-2023 Oaklawn meeting in doubt.
“Not sure,” Santana said Sept. 1 at Kentucky Downs, when asked if he was returning to Oaklawn. “Want to. That's my hometown.”
Five days later, Riccio announced he would begin representing Santana at the Churchill Downs September meeting. Riccio was seeking an A-list rider after losing 2017 Eclipse Award winner Jose Ortiz roughly a month earlier.
The Santana/Riccio partnership has produced, to date, 29 victories, including five stakes, at four tracks (Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Zia Park and Turfway Park).
“I'm really happy working right now with Riccio,” Santana said after getting on horses Monday morning at Oaklawn. “He's a really great guy. We're doing pretty good. We've won a few stakes already. I'm really excited working with the guy.”
Monday marked Santana's first day at Oaklawn in preparation for the 2022-2023 meeting that began Dec. 9. Santana missed the opening three days because of a suspension related to a careless riding infraction last April at Oaklawn and to ride in the Clasico del Caribe last Sunday in Venezuela, a trip scrubbed at the 11th hour because of administrative paperwork, the jockey said.
Santana is named on 15 horses over next three racing days at Oaklawn, where he has dominated the standings the last decade. Four of the horses are for Asmussen. Santana had been a go-to rider for the 12-time Oaklawn training champion before he began going in other directions in the fall of 2021. Asmussen used 2021 Eclipse Award winner Joel Rosario extensively during the 2021-2022 Oaklawn meeting, but is now turning again to Santana. Santana, for example, regained the mount on Echo Zulu and guided the Eclipse Award winner to a victory in the $275,000 Dogwood Stakes (G3) Sept. 24 at Churchill Downs and a runner-up finish in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) Nov. 5 at Keeneland.
Santana and Asmussen have teamed for 320 victories at Oaklawn, a collaboration that fueled the jockey's first local riding title in 2013. Santana was also Oaklawn's leading rider in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 and 2021. He was second in 2019 and third last season. Cristian Torres, another former Munoz client, tops the early Oaklawn rider standings with seven victories.
“To be honest, I really don't worry much about the title because I've won eight already here,” Santana said. “I'm looking forward to getting good horses, more than the title. I'm riding back for Steve. He's given me a lot of good opportunities. I've got a few nice babies for him that I'll be riding. I'm looking forward to getting on good horses for the future.”
Among Santana's 671 victories at Oaklawn, 46 have been stakes. He is Oaklawn's all-time leader in purse earnings for a jockey ($36,173,766) and set the single-season mark ($5,643,023) in 2021. Santana began riding at Oaklawn in 2011.
Riccio also represents New York-based rider Kendrick Carmouche.
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