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First Breeders’ Cup Classic Victory Propels Velazquez To Jockey Of The Week Honors

For jockey John Velazquez, winning two Breeders' Cup races would be special but when one of them is the Grade I Breeders' Cup Classic, it makes the day exceptional. The two Breeders' Cup victories, including the Grade I Filly and Mare Sprint, led to Jockey of the Week honors for November 2 through November 8. 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.

The victory aboard the Bob Baffert-trained Authentic was the first Classic win for the 48-year-old Velazquez, who was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2012.

“I've been chasing this race for quite a while,” said Velazquez. “For him to do it for me is incredible. What a feeling. The older I get the more emotional I get. It worked out perfect,” added Velazquez. “Bob said to take him to the lead so he doesn't wander so much and keep his mind on running. It worked out. He did everything I wanted him to do.”

Velazquez sent the reigning Kentucky Derby winner to the front and never looked back en route to a two-length win in the $6-million Grade 1 Classic, setting a track record 10 furlongs.

The Classic victory marked the 18th Breeders' Cup win for Velazquez, who kicked off Saturday's Breeders' Cup program by piloting Gamine to a track record score by 6 1/4 lengths in the Grade 1 Filly and Mare Sprint, covering the seven-furlong distance in 1:20.20, also for Baffert.

“We knew that other horse (Serengeti Empress) would come out running, but I didn't want to give it up too easy,” Velazquez said. “I put a little pressure on because I know that filly is really tough on the lead. I made sure I was close. When I asked my filly, she was there for me.”

Velazquez was also the leading money-earning jockey for the week with $3,756,499 in purses.

Velazquez out-polled fellow riders Kendrick Carmouche who posted the most wins for the week with nine, Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won three stakes races at Keeneland including two Breeders' Cup races, Joel Rosario who also won three stakes races at Keeneland with two Breeders' Cup events and Luis Saez who won two stakes races including one Breeders' Cup race.

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Five-Win Day Propels Abel Cedillo To Jockey Of The Week Title

Abel Cedillo's five-win day at Del Mar, including a victory in the Let It Ride Stakes aboard Strongconstitution, led to Jockey of the Week honors for Oct. 26 through Nov. 1. 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.

Abel Cedillo said he was feeling “lucky” when racing began Sunday afternoon at Del Mar. He had a mount in all nine races and when he won the first one, he said his confidence went up. By the time the day was done, the 31-year-old Guatemalan had finished first five times, including a confident ride in the day's feature, the $75,000 Let It Ride Stakes aboard Roadrunner Racing or Sayjay Racing's Strongconstitution.

As the mile grass stakes race for 3-year-olds unfolded, Cedillo was up close along the rail, but heading home the field bunched at the head of the stretch. He looked outside, but quickly wheeled his Constitution colt alongside the fence where there was the smallest of openings. Both rider and horse were game as they dove on through and held off Hronis Racing's Heywoods Beach for the score.

Cedillo's earlier winners on the card were 1st Race – Spielberg ($3.80); 2nd Race – War Path ($8.60); 4th Race – Freedom Lass ($13.00), and 5th Race – Chollima ($5.40).

“Five wins today, wow. I was feeling lucky and when I won a close one with that first one (Spielberg by a neck in the first race), I had lots of confidence,” Cedillo said. “Then I rode with that confidence from there on out. I'd won five races on a single day once before up at Golden Gate Fields, but this is a first down here. My horse (Strongconstitution) ran strong in the stakes. We got through inside and he got it done.”

Cedillo out-polled fellow riders Jose L. Ortiz who won two stakes at Belmont Park, Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. who won two stakes at Indiana Grand, Luis E. Perez who won the most races for the week with nine and Ricardo Santana, Jr. who was third in total purse earnings.

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With Four Stakes Wins, Russell Unanimously Voted Jockey Of The Week

With four stakes wins on the Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program at Laurel Park, Sheldon Russell was unanimously selected as Jockey of the Week for Oct.19 through Oct. 25. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing industry 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.

Just a month into his return to racing from a broken wrist, Russell put an exclamation mark on his comeback with four wins capped by a record-setting victory aboard Monday Morning Qb in the Maryland Million Classic, trained by E. “Butch” Reid, Jr. With a textbook ride by Russell, Monday Morning Qb hit the wire in 1:48.13 over a fast main track, the fastest Classic since the race was moved to its current distance in 2009.

Russell also captured the Starter Handicap with trainer Dale Capuano's Jumpstartmyheart in the first race and went on to win the Distaff with Hello Beautiful trained by Russell's wife, Brittany, and the Turf with Pretty Good Year, trained by Kelly Rubley. Russell also finished third in the Ladies with Mosalah and in the Turf Sprint Handicap with Godlovesasinner.

“It's just fantastic. I haven't really been back that long. We sort of came back Preakness week and I was able to pick up a Preakness mount and sort of pick my head up a little bit,” Russell said. “Business has been great, so I can't really complain. My agent, Marty Leonard, has done a great job.

“Going into today I had nine mounts and looking at all of them, you think they all sort of had a live sneaky outside chance,” he added. “It was good that Dale's horse put me on a good start to the day. When you win some races early on in the day it sort of gives you a second win and you want to win another one, but four wins is great. I couldn't have asked for a better day.”

Russell's weekly stats were 14-5-0-2 for a 35.71% win and 50% in-the-money with total purses of $273,958.

Russell out-polled fellow riders Kyle Frey who tied for second with most wins for the week, Trevor McCarthy who won three stakes races on Maryland Million Day, Irad Ortiz, Jr. who was the leading money-earner for the week and Edgard Zayas who tied for second in number of wins with Kyle Frey.

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Four Stakes Wins Net Richard Eramia Jockey Of The Week Title

With more stakes wins than any other North American jockey, Richard Eramia was voted Jockey of the Week for Oct. 12 through Oct. 18. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing industry 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.

With mounts in eight of the ten stakes races on Oklahoma Classics Night for top Oklahoma-breds in divisional stakes competition, Eramia made four trips to the winner's circle. All four of his stakes wins were for different trainers.

He won three stakes in a row starting with Number One Dude for trainer Kari Craddock in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile. Number One Dude set the pace early in the six-furlong sprint and prevailed by a length. For trainer Donnie Von Hemel. Eramia had the mount on She's All Wolfe who rallied from off the pace and hooked up with Lady Orchid over the final yards, with the two bobbing heads to the finish. Trainer Kenny Smith called on Eramia to ride Three Chords in the Oklahoma Classics Sprint and blew away the competition by 5-1/4 lengths going six furlongs. Eramia capped the evening by winning the Oklahoma Classics Starter Stakes under Rockport Kat for trainer Theresa Luneack.

A native of Uruguay, Eramia began his riding career there and also rode in Argentina and Brazil before coming to the U.S. in 2005. He earned his first graded stakes win in 2012 aboard Gantry in the Grade II Smile Sprint Handicap. In 2019, he won the Grade III Super Derby with Rotation for trainer Steve Asmussen and last month, he won the Grade III Oklahoma Derby with Shared Sense for trainer Brad Cox.

Eramia's weekly stats were 29-6-6-3 for a 21% win percentage and 52% in-the-money percentage and total purse earnings of $326,693.

Eramia out-polled fellow jockeys David Cabrera who won two stakes at Remington, Kyle Frey, the week's leading rider by wins, Manuel Franco who won two graded stakes at Keeneland and Rafael Manuel Hernandez who won the Grade I E.P. Taylor at Woodbine.

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