Luis Saez is ready for his Breeders' Cup assignments after winning four stakes races at Belmont Park and earning Jockey of the Week for Oct. 25 through Oct. 31. 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.
On Friday, trainer Chad Brown gave a leg up to Saez on Value Proposition (GB) in the inaugural running of the Oyster Bay, a seven furlong turf race for 3-year-olds and up. Off as the favorite in the field of eight, Value Proposition (GB) was forwardly placed behind Battle Station. Nearing the three-sixteenths pole, Saez and Value Proposition (GB) took command and drew off to a 2-3/4 lengths win in 1:23.03.
“We had a perfect trip. He broke pretty nice and we were just there waiting for the top of the stretch,” said Saez to the NYRA press office. “He gave me a good run and a good finish.”
Saturday was Empire Showcase Day at Belmont with stakes races devoted to New York-breds. Saez was aboard the Edward Barker-trained Shipsational to kick off the stakes action in the Sleepy Hollow for 2-year-olds going a one-turn mile. Shipsational led the six-horse field throughout the race to post a half-length victory in 1:38.32 over a sloppy, sealed track.
Saez ended Saturday aboard the Todd Pletcher-trained Americanrevolution, in the Empire Classic, a nine-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up. Breaking from post five in the field of eight, Saez settled Americanrevolution in third behind Sea Foam and Mr. Buff. Entering the stretch, Americanrevolution pulled away effortlessly to win impressively by 11-3/4 lengths in 1:49.11.
“We got the trip we wanted,” Saez told the NYRA press office. “We were breaking outside the speed and so we just tried to sit and keep him comfortable. He came running down the stretch.”
Saez capped off the weekend on Sunday in the Grade 3 Bold Ruler for 3-year-olds and up at seven furlongs on the main track aboard Wondrwherecraigis for conditioner Brittany Russell. Fastest out of the gate, Wondrwherecraigis went straight to the lead. Into the stretch, Wondrwherecraigis continued on the lead and powered to a 2-1/4 length win 1:23.31. The win marked the first graded stakes win for Russell.
Saez's statistics were 28-8-4-3 for an in-the-money rate of 53.5 percent and $747,949 in purses. He now heads to California this week for eight mounts in the Breeders' Cup races at Del Mar.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Tyler Gaffalione who won the riding title at Keeneland, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with four stakes wins at Belmont, Jaime Rodriguez who won the leading rider title at Delaware Park and Edgard Zayas who led all jockeys with 12 wins for the week.
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