David Cabrera has a goal and that goal is to be the leading jockey at Oaklawn Park when the season ends on May 8. His six wins last week, including the G3 Essex Handicap, keep that goal on course. His achievements last week earned Cabrera the title of Jockey of the Week for March 14 through March 20.
The honor, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for 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.
Going into Saturday's card, Cabrera had posted two wins on Thursday and another on Friday. On Saturday's card, Cabrera had mounts in all 10 races winning the third race for trainer Ron Moquett. Trainer Federico Villafranco then gave a leg up to Cabrera on Rated R Superstar in the newly graded Essex Handicap (G3) with a purse of $500,000.
Under Cabrera, Rated R Superstar was content to race in sixth as rivals Thomas Shelby and Plainsman dueled up front. Advancing along the rail on the final turn, Cabrera angled Rated R Superstar out into the stretch and past the leaders at the eighth pole to win by 2-1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:43.12 for the 1 1/16 miles on the dirt, paying $18.60 for the upset win.
The victory was the richest career win for Cabrera. This was the second stakes win this season at Oaklawn for Rated R Superstar and Cabrera as they also won the Fifth Season Stakes in January. Cabrera has also won the American Beauty Stakes aboard Miss Mosaic earlier in the meet. To finish the race week, Cabrera added another win on Sunday.
A native of Mexico, Cabrera, 29, has been riding professionally in the United States since 2013 and makes Remington Park his home base where he has won four straight leading rider titles. Currently, Cabrera is in first place in the Oaklawn standings with 45 wins, two more than Francisco Arrieta with total purse earnings of more than $2 million.
Cabrera's weekly statistics were 30-6-3-7 for a 53.3 percent in-the-money rate. Cabrera led all jockeys for the week in stakes and total purse earnings with $589,035.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Juan J. Hernandez with a stakes win at Santa Anita, Armando Martinez with eight wins at Fonner Park, Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won the Hutcheson at Gulfstream Park and Luis S. Quinonez who won the G3 Whitmore at Oaklawn Park.
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