jockey of the week | Horse Racing Free Tips

Six Stakes Wins See Joel Rosario Voted Jockey Of The Week

Joel Rosario's amazing weekend at Keeneland included six stakes wins, three alone for trainer Wesley Ward, leading to Jockey of the Week honors for March 29 through April 4. The award, 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 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Rosario began opening weekend on Friday with mounts in eight of the nine races. His stakes haul started with the Palisades Turf Sprint aboard Chasing Artie for Trainer Wesley Ward. Rosario rallied Chasing Artie from last place at the top of the stretch to win over the favorite, Fauci, in 1:03.46 for 5-1/2 furlongs.

Next, trainer Shug McGaughey gave a leg up to Rosario on Scarlett Sky in the Kentucky Utilities Transylvania (G3). Sent off as the third choice in the field of six, Scarlett Sky took control in deep stretch to win by a half-length in 1:43.89 in the turf contest.

Winning two stakes races at Keeneland is an accomplishment but Rosario was just getting started.

On Saturday, California-based trainer John Sadler tapped Rosario to ride Flagstaff in the Commonwealth (G3), a seven-furlong contest on the dirt. Flagstaff collared the leaders inside the sixteenth pole to draw off for 1-1/4 length victory in 1:21.84.

In the Shakertown (G2), Rosario rode Bound for Nowhere for trainer Wesley Ward. Off as the slight favorite in the field of 12 and racing in midpack outside of horses, Bound for Nowhere hit the front in the final strides over Imprimis and Paco Lopez stopping the teletimer in 1:02.19 for 5-1/2 furlongs over a “good” turf course.

Rosario's Grade 1 stakes double started with Malathaat in the Central Bank Ashland. Malathaat caught Pass the Champagne in the shadow of the wire in 1:42.94 for trainer Todd Pletcher and owner Shadwell Stable. In the following race, trainer Wesley Ward engaged Rosario to ride Kimari in the Madison who surged to the front in midstretch to win by three-quarters of length in 1:21.53.

“Thank you to everyone: Wesley Ward, Todd Pletcher, everyone else who gave me an opportunity,” said Rosario. “It was an amazing day. I thought I had some chances to win but you never know, so it's just great to have the opportunities and be able to win.”

Rosario's weekly stats were 18-7-4-2 with a 38.9% win percentage and total purses earnings of $950,652.

Rosario out polled Irad Ortiz, Jr. who was leading rider by wins including six on April 3, Flavien Prat who won four stakes including the Santa Anita Oaks, Umberto Rispoli who won the Santa Anita Derby and Luis Saez who won three stakes at Keeneland including the Toyota Blue Grass and accounted for the stakes races Rosario did not win.

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Jockey Of The Week: Eric Cancel’s Big Sunday Nets Emotional First Aqueduct Riding Title

Capping a remarkable week in the 24-year-old's riding career, Eric Cancel was voted Jockey of the Week for March 22 through March 28. The award, 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 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Cancel entered the 8-race card on Sunday in second place in the jockey standings four victories behind Kendrick Carmouche. In dramatic fashion through rainy and foggy conditions, Cancel won the opener on Sono Grato for trainer Cleveland Johnson. Starting in race three, he reeled off five winners in a row, riding Lobsta for Gary Sciacca, Kith for Robert Ribaudo, City Temper for Jorge Abreu, Make Mischief for Chris Englehart and My Boy Tate for Michelle Nevin in the Haynesfield Stakes. He finished in-the-money in all eight races. Six wins for six different trainers catapulted Cancel to the top of the standings at Aqueduct's winter meet and his first leading jockey title at a NYRA track.

“I'm filled with emotions. I worked very hard for this and being able to compete with a guy like Kendrick, who is a very hard-riding guy, it feels wonderful,” said Cancel. “Yesterday (Saturday) I didn't think I was going to get it. But today (Sunday) I just woke up and said to keep on swinging and go for it. I want to thank my agent and all the owners and trainers who gave me the opportunity to be here and win this meet.”

Cancel continued: “I was just trying to win as much as I can and go home happy.”

Cancel had two stakes wins on Saturday during New York Claiming Championship Day with Air Attack for John Toscano, Jr. in the Stud Muffin and Fox Red for Linda Rice in the Dads Cap.

Weekly stats for Cancel were 28-13-4-3 for a 46.4% win percentage, an impressive 71.4% in-the-money percentage and total purses of $509,975.

Cancel out-polled jockeys Adam Beschizza who tied for second in wins with 10, Julien Leparoux who won two graded stakes races, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with two stakes wins including the Grade I Florida Derby and set a single season win record at Gulfstream Park and Jose Ortiz who won three stakes including the Gr. II Gulfstream Park Oaks.

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Nine Victories Net Junior Alvarado Jockey Of The Week Title

Jockey Junior Alvarado had a very good week. With two stakes wins and a total of nine victories including five on a single day, Alvarado was voted Jockey of the Week for March 15 through March 21. The award, 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 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Alvarado's winning week at Gulfstream Park began Thursday with a win for trainer Jose D'Angelo. On Friday's card, Alvarado collected two wins for trainers Francisco D'Angelo and Michael De Paulo.

On Saturday, Alvarado took races 3, 6 and 9 for trainers Jose D'Angelo, Mark Casse and Bill Mott. In race 10, trainer John Kimmel gave a leg up to Alvarado on Pacific Gale in the G3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes, a 6-1/2 furlong sprint for older fillies and mares. With a ground-saving ride by Alvarado, Pacific Gale won by 3-1/2 lengths.

“I rode her a couple of times at Saratoga and Belmont. We always thought she was great but for some reason we never got the best of her,” Alvarado said. “She's stepping up right now. She's at a different level right now.”

One race later, Alvarado had the mount on Warrior's Pride in the Texas Glitter Stakes for trainer Antonio Cioffi, a fellow Venezuelan. Warrior's Pride broke running and never looked back completing the five-furlong dash in :55.37 over a firm turf course.

Speaking of trainer Cioffi, one of his biggest backers since returning to Gulfstream for the first time in 12 years, Alvarado said: “He's been a great help to me since I got here from Venezuela. This win actually meant a lot to me.”

Alvarado concluded his winning week with a victory on Sunday for trainer Mark Casse.

Of his decision to ride at Gulfstream for the winter where he rode his first winner in 2007, Alvarado commented: “The support I've been receiving from the owners and trainers has been beyond what I was expecting. It's been a really amazing experience and I can't wait to come back again next winter.”

Alvarado's weekly stats were 34-9-7-3 for a winning percentage of 26.4% and total purses of $304,630.

Alvarado out-polled Florent Geroux with two stakes wins at the Fair Grounds including the G2 Fair Grounds Oaks, Flavien Prat who won the G3 Sensational Star at Santa Anita and also collected 9 wins, Joel Rosario who won the G2 Louisiana Derby and Tim Thornton who also won nine races.

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Journeyman Glenn Corbett Achieves 4,000-Win Milestone, Voted Jockey Of The Week

With a career milestone and two stakes wins, veteran jockey Glenn Corbett was voted Jockey of the Week for March 8 through March 14. The award, 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 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Corbett started the week at his winter base of Turf Paradise with achieving his 4,000th career victory aboard Arabian Story for trainer Chad Ferguson on March 8. With the win, Corbett became the 78th jockey to achieve 4,000 lifetime wins.

Trainer Robertino Diodoro engaged Corbett to ride Alberta Sun, the favorite in the field of six, in the Arizona Breeders' Stakes at six furlongs on the dirt March 11. Stumbling at the start, Alberta Sun settled early, raced four wide through the turn and took control at the eighth pole to win by 1-1/4 lengths in 1:11.09.

California trainer Bob Hess, Jr. gave a leg up to Corbett on It's My House in the Turf Paradise Derby on March 12. The favorite in the field of nine, It's My House pressed the early pace, took the lead into the stretch, dueling with Tony's Tapit until late in the stretch winning by three-quarters of length in 1:45.05 for 1-1/16 miles on the dirt.

The very definition of a “journeyman jockey,” Corbett has raced at more than 35 tracks over his distinguished career that started in 1985 with his first career win at Penn National.

“I go to work and chip away,” said Corbett.

He now splits his riding mainly between Turf Paradise in the winter and Prairie Meadows the rest of the year.

“It's a great circuit for me, I can work year-round,” Corbett said.

He was inducted into the Prairie Meadows Hall of Fame in 2019.

Corbett's stats for the week included six wins from 16 mounts for a 37.5% win percentage, 68.7% in-the-money percentage and total purse earnings of $101,271.

Corbett out-polled fellow riders Victor Carrasco with two stakes victories at Laurel, Tyler Gaffalione who posted the most wins for the week, Joel Rosario with a victory in the Gr. 2 Rebel, and Ricardo Santana, Jr. with a stakes win at Oaklawn Park.

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