jockey of the week | Horse Racing Free Tips

Five Stakes Wins Net Joel Rosario Jockey Of The Week Title

The New York Racing Association presented 16 stakes races at Saratoga during the week of August 23; Joel Rosario had a mount in every one. He won five of those stakes including two Grade 1s and one Grade 2. His accomplishments earned Jockey of the Week honors for Aug. 23 through Aug. 29. 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's five stakes wins for the week began on Friday, New York Showcase Day. Given a leg up in the Fleet Indian Stakes by trainer Bob Dunham, Rosario and Byhubbyhellomoney tracked in fourth before finding a seam along the rail to post a neck victory in 1:52.07 for the 1-1/8 miles contest for 3-year-old fillies. Rosario won his second straight stakes of the day riding City Man for Christophe Clement in the West Point Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on the turf. City Man ran the 1-1/16 miles in 1:41.30.

On Saturday, trainer Chad Brown saddled three entrants in the Grade 2 Ballston Spa with Rosario on Viadera. Under Rosario, Viadera saved ground in third, advancing up the rail through the final turn then angled to the three-path and dug in to overtake High Opinion and Luis Saez at the wire in a final time of 1:41.82 for the 1 1/16-mile inner turf test for older fillies and mares.

“Turning for home, I was clear,” said Rosario. “She always tries really hard. She's a very good filly.”

In the Grade 1 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, trainer Steve Asmussen gave a leg up to Rosario, regular rider of Jackie's Warrior. Rosario and Jackie's Warrior tracked in second as Life Is Good led the field of 3-year-olds through the half. At the top of the stretch, Jackie's Warrior capitalized on running room from the inside and held off a resurgent Life Is Good to prevail by a neck in 1:21.39.

“I felt confident, but Life is Good was not giving up and a lot of credit to him, too, it was a very good race,” said Rosario.

Rosario captured his second Grade 1 of the day in the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer aboard Gufo for trainer Christophe Clement. Last of seven, the duo saved ground first time past the wire, advancing down the backstretch, rallying outside of Tribuvan and Channel Maker and staving off European invader, Japan, to win by a neck in 2:28.30 for the 1-1/2-mile inner-turf contest.

“He ran a really good race today and turning for home, it was just a really good performance,” said Rosario.

Rosario's weekly statistics were 39-11-2-3 for a 41 percent in-the-money rate and total purses of $1,663,476.

Rosario out-polled Arnaldo Bocachica who won three stakes at Charles Town, Paco Lopez who led all riders in wins with 14, Luis Saez who won the Grade 1 Travers and Ricardo Santana, Jr, who won the Grade 1 Forego with Yaupon.

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James Graham Voted Jockey Of The Week After Mr. D. Stakes Upset

Jockey James Graham made a successful return to Arlington Park last Saturday, winning the Grade 1 Mr. D. Stakes to earn Jockey of the Week honors for Aug. 9 through Aug. 15. 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.

Arlington Park had been home to Graham, a native of Dublin, Ireland, for more than a dozen years before moving his tack to Kentucky tracks and Fair Grounds in Louisiana. He returned on Saturday for the first time since 2018 to ride on what may be Arlington Park's last premier day of racing. Trainer Hugh Robertson, a mainstay at Arlington Park for decades and very familiar with Graham, entered long-shot Two Emmys in the G1 Mr. D. Stakes and gave simple instructions to Graham, “Go to the front and slow it down.”

Graham followed those instructions faithfully.

Breaking from post position four in the field of eight, Graham and Two Emmys went straight to the front and controlled the pace around the first turn and down the backstretch with his half-mile in a pedestrian 52.43 seconds. In upper stretch, Graham asked Two Emmys for his best and held on when confronted late by the favorite Domestic Spending and Flavien Prat to win by a neck in 2:03.34 for the mile and one-quarter turf race.

“When I didn't see anyone behind me at the quarter pole, I knew they would really have to run to catch me,” said Graham. “He's shown he can do it before and he did it today.”

With the win, Graham posted his fifth career G1 win.

Weekly statistics for Graham were 15-2-2-2 for an in-the-money rate of 40 percent and total purses of $407,668.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Alex Birzer with an in-the-money rate of 55 percent, Tyler Gaffalione who won the G1 Fourstardave, Antonio Gallardo with nine wins for the week, and John Velazquez who won two stakes races at Saratoga.

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Three Saratoga Stakes Wins Net Flavien Prat Jockey Of The Week Title

Whether riding at the West Coast's premier meet, Del Mar, the East Coast's premier meet, Saratoga, or anywhere in-between, Flavien Prat just wins stakes races. With three stakes wins, two of which were graded, Flavien Prat was voted Jockey of the Week for Aug. 2 through Aug. 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.

Prat rode at Del Mar on Thursday then headed to Saratoga to ride over Whitney weekend. On Friday, trainer Chad Brown called on Prat to ride Public Sector (GB) for the third time in the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame Stakes. Sent to the post as the 4-5 favorite in the field of seven 3-year-olds, Public Sector (GB) raced off the pace while saving ground. When a seam opened up along the rail past the sixteenth pole, Public Sector (GB) powered home to win by a length in 1:35.03 over the one mile distance.

“I thought I was going to be able to go around the leader, but then I saw the leader came out and I dropped in and had room,” said Prat. “We were pretty much making the move together but when I really asked him to make the move, he responded really well.”

On Saturday, it was trainer Chad Brown again to give a leg up to Prat on Flavius in the Fasig-Tipton Lure Stakes at 1-1/16-miles on the Mellon turf course for older horses. Breaking from post position five, Flavius went straight to the lead and continued to find more under Prat's encouragement for a one and one-half length win in 1:41.53.

“I didn't see a lot of speed in the race,” Prat said. “I wanted to be in the race and I found myself on the lead. He was travelling super and he kicked on really well.”

To finish the weekend on Sunday, Prat was the pilot on Con Lima, trained by newly minted Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher in the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational. Breaking from post position five, Con Lima went to the front and held off a late challenge from Higher Truth and Jose Ortiz to win by three-quarters of a length in 1:54.42 for the 1-3/16 miles on the turf.

“The speed was pretty much me and the Godolphin filly, and it seems she broke a step slow,” said Prat. I broke better than her and I ended up on the lead. She really kicked on well.”

The win marked the 26th graded stakes event for Prat for 2021. He currently ranks second in that category to Joel Rosario who has 31.

Prat's weekly statistics were 11-4-4-0 for an in-the-money percentage of 72.7% and total purses of $674,080. Prat currently sits atop the standings at Del Mar with 21 wins.

For Jockey of the Week, Prat out-polled Corey Lanerie with three stakes wins, Joel Rosario who won the Grade 1 Whitney, Luis Saez with three stakes wins including the Grade 1 Test, and John Velazquez who won the Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational.

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Luis Saez Voted Jockey Of The Week After Graded Stakes Double

With two graded stakes wins including the Grade 2 Jim Dandy, Luis Saez was voted Jockey of the Week for July 26 through August 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.

On Saturday at Saratoga, trainer Brad Cox called on regular rider Luis Saez to pilot Champion Essential Quality in the highly anticipated Jim Dandy at nine furlongs. Starting for the first time since his victory in the G1 Belmont Stakes in June, Essential Quality was the heavy favorite in the field of five breaking from post position five. Saez and Essential Quality were four wide into the first turn but within 2-1/2 lengths of the frontrunner Dr Jack. The duo continued four wide into the far turn. As the field turned for home, Saez and Essential Quality made a sweeping outside move to take command at the three-sixteenths, but had to dig-in when challenged by Joel Rosario on Keepmeinmind. It was a race down to the finish line with Essential Quality pulling clear in the shadow of the wire in a final time of 1:49.92.

“I saw him (Keepmeinmind), but I had a lot horse and I knew he was going to finish,” said Saez.

Saez continued his winning ways in the next race, the Grade 2 Bowling Green. Riding for trainer Mike Maker, Saez and defending champion Cross Border were always within striking distance of the early leaders Channel Cat and Channel Maker. Saez angled Cross Border out from the rail out of the final turn to overtake Channel Cat in the final furlong and hit the wire in the front by 1-1/2 lengths in 2:16.36 for the 1-3/8 miles contest.

“He loves it here. This is a special horse that I love riding,” Saez said. “He always tries hard. Today he ran huge. It set up perfect with a good pace.”

Saez's weekly statistics were 41-8-4-6 for a 19.5% win rate and total purse earnings of $860,098 which led all riders. Saez was also leading rider in stakes earnings with $500,825.

Saez out polled fellow riders Corey Lanerie who won the Grade 2 Honorable Miss, Jose Lezcano who won the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt, Joel Rosario with two stakes wins, and Sheldon Russell with one stakes victory while registering his 1,500th career victory.

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