The seven-furlong, Grade 3 Swale was the first graded stakes of the day with Saez in the irons for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher on My Prankster. Off as the even-money favorite in the field of six and breaking from the rail, My Prankster raced near the back of the field. On the backside, Saez angled My Prankster to the outside and challenged the leaders at the top stretch. My Prankster gained command from Dean Delivers down the lane and posted a one-half length win in 1:23.13.

“He got a good break today,” said Saez. “We knew they had a lot of speed in the race so the plan was to get him in the clear and go from there…he always tries, he tried pretty hard today and he got the job done so it was a good race for him.”

Riding for trainer Brad Cox, Saez was aboard Louisiana invader Girl With a Dream in the filly counterpart to the Swale, the G3 Forward Gal. Breaking from post position six in the field of seven, Saez and Girl With a Dream lead throughout the seven furlongs while holding off the favorite Radio Days to post a one-length victory in 1:23.42.

“She broke from there pretty sharp,” said Saez. “She went and she was pretty comfortable all the way. We came to the top of the stretch and I felt like I had a lot of horse. She kept battling, and she beat them. I felt like every step, when the other filly (Radio Days) came close, she responded more.”

Trainer Roderick Rodriguez gave a leg up to Saez on Opelina in the G3 Sweetest Chant at one mile and one-sixteenth on the turf. Off as the co-second choice in the field of nine, Saez and Opelina settled in fourth. Leaving the backstretch, Saez gave Opelina her cue swinging three wide to quickly pass the leaders and holding on to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:41.56.

“When she took the lead in the stretch, she kind of waited for the other ones, but when she got on the left (lead) she gave me another gear,” said Saez.

Saez's weekly statistics were 43-7-9-7 with total purse earnings of $396,620.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Jose L. Ortiz with two graded stakes wins at Aqueduct, Flavien Prat with a stakes win at Santa Anita, Jaime Rodriguez who tied for number of wins for the week with nine and Tim Thornton who also posted nine wins for the week.

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Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher gave a leg up to Ortiz, Jr. on defending champion, Colonel Liam in the G1 World Cup Turf Invitational. Despite a layoff of nearly eight months, Colonel Liam went off as the favorite in the field of 12. While racing off the pace, Ortiz, Jr. and Colonel Liam crept steadily closer to the leader, stablemate, Never Surprised. The pair took command at the eighth pole and drew clear to win by a length in 1:47.48 for the 1 1/8-mile distance. Ortiz, Jr. has now won three of the four runnings of the World Pegasus Turf Invitational.

“He didn't lose a step,” said Ortiz, Jr.. “He's healthy and he's strong. He did everything right. I asked him a little early and when I asked him to go, he just went on.”

The G1 Pegasus World Cup was thought to be a match race between presumed Horse of the Year Knicks Go with Joel Rosario in the irons for trainer Brad Cox and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Life Is Good ridden by Ortiz, Jr. for trainer Todd Pletcher.

Off as the slight favorite, Life Is Good took control a sixteenth of a mile into the race and was never seriously threatened, covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.91 to post a winning margin of 3-1/4 lengths.

“I respect the other horse a lot,” said Ortiz, Jr. “I thought it was going to be a match race. But going into the first turn, my horse was so fast so I just let him do this thing. I felt like a lot of horse and I couldn't wait to let him run. I just wanted to get to the second turn. But when I let him go, he kept going.”

Ortiz, Jr.'s statistics for the week were 27-6-6-6 for an in-the-money rate of 66 percent and total purse earnings of $2,508,970 to lead all jockeys.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Victor Carrasco with three stakes wins at Laurel. Harry Hernandez who won two stakes races at Sunland and led all jockeys for the week in wins with 11, Jose Ortiz who won the G3 Pegasus Filly and Mare Turf, and Joel Rosario with two stakes wins at Gulfstream Park and two stakes wins at Sam Houston.

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On Saturday, Juan Hernandez had the mount on Brickyard Ride for trainer Craig Lewis in the Don Valpredo California Cup Sprint for 4-year-olds and up, one of five Cal-bred stakes on Cal Cup Day.  With Hernandez putting Brickyard Ride's speed to good use from post position three in the field of eight, they showed the way up the backstretch and drew away in upper stretch to a 1 3/4-length win in 1:09.54 for six furlongs. It was Hernandez's second win of the day. Off as the favorite, Brickyard Ride paid $5.40, $3.80 and $2.60.

“Craig told me to just let him run,” said Hernandez speaking to the Santa Anita publicity team. “He broke really sharp and he was ready today. Once I was on the lead that was it, I just let him run. I felt the pace was a little fast, but that is fine for a horse like him.”

Monday's holiday card featured the Grade 3 Astra Stakes with Hernandez riding the French-bred Neige Blanche for trainer Leonard Powell. The race was transferred from the hillside turf course to a flat start on the backstretch. Sent off as the heavy favorite in the field of five, Neige Blanche found herself bottled up on the rail with her four rivals in front of her. Hernandez called on Neige Blanche once a seam opened up  turning for home and overtook Disappearing Act with Flavien Prat in the stretch to win the one and one-half mile marathon in 2:32.27. She paid $2.60 to win. 

“The trip worked out pretty good for her because she likes to run like that,” said Hernandez, who has now ridden Neige Blanche in her last seven races, winning four of them. “I put a lot of trust in her and in Leonard to have her ready. I felt like I had a lot of horse. We were waiting for something to open up. She's a nice filly, she was ready today.”

Weekly statistics for Hernandez were 17-5-2-3 and total purse earnings of $338,560. He currently is in third place in the Santa Anita jockey standings with 13 win and just over $1 million in purse earnings.

Hernandez outpolled fellow riders Armando Ayuso with a 40 percent win rate, Arnaldo Bocachica also with a 40 percent win rate, Flavien Prat who was leading jockey with total and stakes purse earnings, and Luis Saez with a stakes win at Gulfstream Park.

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It is almost becoming the norm that has Flavien Prat winning races in double digits for the week. He began the racing week at Santa Anita on Friday, winning claiming races for trainers Jeff Mullins and Richard Mandella, plus an Allowance Optional Claiming race for Michael McCarthy.

On Saturday with mounts in six races, Prat won the third race, a claiming contest, for trainer Phil D'Amato. Trainer Bob Baffert then gave a leg up to Prat on Under the Stars in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez for 3-year-old fillies. Off as the favorite in the field of six and breaking from the rail, Under the Stars took pressure from her rivals but started to take control on the far turn to post an impressive 3/4-length win for the seven furlongs in 1:22.51.

“I thought it was a good run,” Prat said. “There was pressure all the way around. The one hole was not the best place, but she overcame that.”

Prat also won the last race on the card, a Maiden Special Weight for trainer Simon Callaghan.

On Sunday's nine race card, Prat won Maiden Special Weight races one and three for trainer Phil D'Amato.

He was next aboard Zero Tolerance for trainer Ruben Alvarado in the G3 Las Cienegas for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up. Breaking from the far outside in the field of seven, Zero Tolerance followed the favorite Hear My Prayer. Gaining the advantage at the top of the stretch, Zero Tolerance held off a late challenge from Tapwater and Joe Bravo to win by a head in 1:13.26 for 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course.

“She can be a little on her toes sometimes, but she was relaxing well today and when it was time to make a move, she responded well,” said Prat who was riding the 4-year-old for the fourth time.

With the win, Prat collected his sixth stakes of the young meet. Prat followed the stakes win with a victory in the 8th race, a Starter Allowance, for trainer Leonard Powell.

Prat's weekly statistics were 17-10-2-0 for total purse earnings of $470,320. Prat was leading jockey for the week in total and stakes purse earnings. He is currently the leading rider at Santa Anita with 21 wins.

Prat outpolled jockeys Kendrick Carmouche who also won 10 races for the week, Javier Castellano who won a stakes race at Aqueduct, Dylan Davis also with a stakes win at Aqueduct and Alfredo Juarez, Jr. who won a stakes race at Sunland Park.

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For the third time in his career at Santa Anita, Prat won six races on a single card but on Saturday, he also finished second on his other four mounts. His six wins came for six different trainers.

After finishing second in the first race, he won the second race, a Maiden Special Weight for trainer Peter Eurton aboard Queen of Thorns. For trainer Ruben Alvarado in the third race, Prat was aboard Smuggler's Run for the win in a Maiden Special Weight. He finished second in the 4th race for trainer Doug O'Neill. Prat was back to his winning ways in the 5th, a Maiden Claiming event for trainer Steve Miyadi with Mad Steven.

Two second place finishes in stakes races followed: the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez riding for trainer Mark Glatt on Beer Can Man and in the G3 Sham on Rockefeller for Bob Baffert. The rest of the card belonged to Prat.

Trainer Richard Baltas gave a leg up to Prat on Luck in the G3 Robert J. Frankel. Off as the favorite in the field of seven, Luck rallied to the front in the final furlong to win by 3 1/4 lengths in 1:48.26 for the nine-furlong turf event.

His easiest win came next in the G3 La Canada for Bob Baffert aboard As Time Goes By. Sitting just off the pacesetting Park Avenue, As Time Goes By took command a quarter-mile from the finish and powered home by 13-1/2 lengths in 1:44.31 for the 1 1/16-mile race.

To put an exclamation point on the day, Prat won the 10th and final Allowance Optional Claiming race on Riding with Dino for trainer Bob Hess, Jr.

“I was picked on top in almost every race, so I guess I messed up a few,” Prat said, laughing to the Daily Racing Form. “I was picked so much, I had a lot of pressure.”

To end the weekend, Prat won two races on Sunday including the Blue Norther Stakes on Bellabel (IRE) for trainer Phil D'Amato.

Prat's weekly statistics were 27-10-9-3 with total purse earnings of $651,956 to top all riders.

Prat's competition for Jockey of the Week included Kendrick Carmouche who won three stakes races during the week, Tyler Gaffalione who also won three stakes races, Luis Saez with 12 wins for the week and John Velazquez who won the G3 Sham.

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Gutierrez, riding regularly at Fair Grounds for the first time, has made an impact over the first month of the season. On Sunday, trainer Dallas Stewart enlisted Gutierrez to pilot Chess Chief in the aptly named Tenacious Stakes. Breaking from post 10, Chess Chief stalked the leaders while in heavy traffic for most of the run through the backstretch. At the top of the lane, it was a battle to the wire between Chess Chief, Happy American and Pirate's Punch. Chess Chief prevailed by the slimmest of margins in a final time of 1:43.39 for the 1 1/16-mile dirt contest.

In the following race, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen gave a leg up to Gutierrez on Halo Again in the Buddy Diliberto Memorial, held over 1 1/16 miles on the Stall-Wilson turf course. Quickest from the gate at odds of 8-1, Halo Again made every pole a winning one while repelling the late run of Pixelate and Monarchs Glen to post a one-half length win in 1:43.22. The win was Gutierrez's third of the day and the second riding for Asmussen.

“It means the world to me,” the 26-year-old Gutierrez told Fair Grounds publicity. “The credit goes to (agent) Jose Santos. “We're everywhere – I rode at Turfway on Thursday, here at Fair Grounds, at Oaklawn. I'm just trying work hard. I'd like to be a part of at least one horse for every stable on this backside and get everybody to know me. I'll ride for anybody. It doesn't have to be a favorite.”

A finalist for the 2018 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice, Gutierrez was born in Rochester, New York. He is the son of Finger Lakes trainer Luis Gutierrez and his uncle is retired Finger Lakes jockey Jose Gutierrez.

Weekly statistics for Gutierrez were 15-3-2-3 and purse earnings of $176,178. He currently sits in second place in Fair Grounds standings with 17 wins and $669,650 in purses.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Alex M. Cruz who was tied with Luis Saez for number of wins for the week, Kevin Roman with a 31.5 percent win rate, Luis Saez with two stakes wins, and John Velazquez who won the G1 La Brea.

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At Remington Park Friday evening, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen gave a leg up to Ortiz on Casual in the She's All In Stakes for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up. Off at odds of 2-1 in the field of eight, Casual tracked the pace, took command on the far turn and cruised to a 5 1/4-length win in 1:43.96 for the one mile and seventy yard contest on the dirt track. Ortiz was riding the 4-year-old Casual for the first time.

Riding again for Asmussen, Ortiz was aboard Optionality in the Trapeze Stakes for 2-year-old fillies. Just past the half-mile marker, she went to the lead and was never headed drawing off to an impressive 8-1/4 length victory in 1:41.10 for one mile.

“She broke good,” Ortiz said to the Remington Park Publicity team, “and Steve had her ready. She started looking around at the end with it being nighttime and the lights and shadows at the wire, but she got the job done.”

In the final stakes race on the Remington card, trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. called on Ortiz to ride Make It Big in the Springboard Mile for 2-year-olds with Kentucky Derby points on the line. Off as the favorite in the field of seven, Make It Big battled with race favorite Osborne throughout the stretch, posting a half-length win for the mile contest in 1:41.23. Ortiz picked up the mount after regular rider Edgard Zayas had shoulder surgery.

Back at Aqueduct on Saturday, Ortiz rode Yo Cuz for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott in the Fifth Avenue Division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series, a seven furlong sprint for eligible New York-sired juvenile fillies. Breaking third in the field of 11, Yo Cuz was hustled to the lead and held off a determined Morning Matcha to post a 1 3/4-length win in 1:25.34. The win was the third on the card for Ortiz.

“When you ride good horses, this is what happens,” said Ortiz to the NYRA publicity team. “You get more chances to win races. I appreciate all the opportunities I have been getting with big owners and big trainers supporting my career. That's what it is all about. You have to have the horse to win.”

Weekly statistics for Ortiz included a 31.5 percent win rate and total purse earnings of $778,748.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Junior Alvarado who won the G2 Ft. Lauderdale, Kendrick Carmouche who won the Gravesend at Aqueduct, Luis Saez with two graded stakes at Gulfstream, and Luis A. Valenzuela who won two stakes at Turf Paradise.

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The hard-working, personable Bocachica, known as “Boca” at the track, has led the jockey standings at Charles Town in wins and purse earnings for the last three years and is poised to make it four years in a row with 252 wins, 150 more than his closest competitor and nearly $5 million in purse earnings through Dec. 12. His winning percentage is a lofty 35 percent. The Charles Town meet closes this Saturday, Dec. 18.

Riding since 2006, the 33-year-old native of Puerto Rico has made Charles Town his home track riding first call for leading trainer Jeff Ronco as well as other top trainers at the track. The Ronco/Bocachica pair post a 37 percent win rate, and Bocachica won career race 2,000 on March 6, 2021 for Jeff Ronco.

Bocachica began the week on Wednesday by winning two races for Jeff Ronco and one for trainer Anthony Farrior. With no wins on Thursday, Bocachica won three on Friday, one for Ronco and two for Farrior. He continued his winning ways on Saturday with a win for trainer Victor Espinosa and one for Farrior.

Bocachica's weekly statistics included eight wins from 15 starts for 53.3 percent winners and 80 percent in-the-money finishers with total purse earnings of $127,060.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Dylan Davis who won the Garland of Roses at Aqueduct, Mario Gutierrez who pulled the upset win in the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity, Colby J. Hernandez who won the Champions Day Classic at Fair Grounds and Luis Saez who won the G3 Mr. Prospector at Gulfstream Park.

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For the 10th consecutive year, Gulfstream Park hosted the Claiming Crown, a series of nine starter stakes races celebrating the blue-collar horses that are the back-bone of racetracks around the country.

Lopez was aboard Blue Steel for trainer Jeff Hiles in the Claiming Crown Iron Horse Kent Sterling Memorial to start the series. The pair took over the lead around the turn and kicked clear to win the race by a half-length in 1:44.61 for 1 1/16 miles.

Lopez also won the next race, his third on the card, the Claiming Crown Distaff Dash for trainer Jane Cibelli aboard Payntdembluesaway. Off as the favorite in the field of 12, Payntdembluesaway scored a four-length victory in :55.31 for the five furlong turf test.

Trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. gave a leg up to Lopez on Miles Ahead in the Claiming Crown Rapid Transit, a seven furlong race on the dirt. Off as the favorite in the field of 10, Miles Ahead tracked the leaders outside and up the backstretch wearing down his rivals to pull clear by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:21.99.

The Claiming Crown Emerald was the last of the starter series. Riding for trainer Luis Carvajal, Jr., Lopez took Mid Day Image straight to the lead from the inside post, maintained a clear lead at the top of the stretch and went on to post a 1 1/4-length win in 1:39.82 for 1 1/16 miles on the turf.

“Not too bad a day,” said Lopez to the Gulfstream Park Publicity team. “We had five wins and a couple of seconds. My horses ran very well today.”

A multiple graded stakes winner and the 2008 Eclipse Award winner as leading apprentice, Lopez shares the Gulfstream Park track record with seven wins on a single day.

Lopez's weekly statistics were 35-8-6-3 and total purse earnings of $371,525.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Arnaldo Bocachica with 10 wins, Juan J. Hernandez who won the G1 Starlet, Sonny Leon also with 10 wins and Luis Saez who won the G1 Cigar Mile.

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The holiday weekend card featured seven stakes races on the Jimmy Durante Turf Course. Riding for trainer Phil D'Amato on Friday, Desormeaux was aboard the stretch-running Say the Word for the first time in the G2 Hollywood Turf Cup. Say the Word was last in the field of seven for the first mile of the 1 1/2-mile contest for 3-year-olds and up. Desormeaux swung Say the Word to the outside at the top of the stretch and in a drive to the wire overtook his stablemate Acclimate to win by a length in 2:27.62. The win was Desormeaux's first in the Hollywood Turf Cup.

Trainer John Shirreffs gave a leg up to Desormeaux on Beyond Brilliant in Saturday's G1 Hollywood Derby. In the field of 14, Desormeaux was riding Beyond Brilliant for the third time. From an inside post, the duo made every pole a winning one finishing the nine furlong test over Santin by a neck in 1:48.84.

“All the credit for this win goes to the barn,” said Desormeaux to the Del Mar publicity office. “They've done wonders with this horse the past month. When I rode him last time (10/31) at Santa Anita, he was a handful to control. Today he was easy.”

The victory was the first for Desormeaux in the Hollywood Derby. He has 87 stakes wins at Del Mar, ninth most of all riders.

After a slow start to the meet, Hall of Famer Desormeaux came on strong to finish 4th in the Del Mar standings with 10 wins and $1,153,196 in purses.

Desormeaux outpolled Tyler Gaffalione who was the leading rider in wins for the week, Jose Lezcano who won three stakes races, Jose Ortiz with two Grade 1 stakes and one Grade 3, and Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won four stakes races.

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