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Luis Saez Rides Essential Quality, Mystic Guide To Jockey Of The Week Title

Luis Saez usually rides at Gulfstream Park, but he traveled to Oaklawn Park last week as the track reopened after adverse weather conditions led to a two-week shutdown. Saez won both of the rescheduled graded stakes races, earning the Jockey of the Week award for the week of Feb. 22 through Feb. 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.

Riding Mystic Guide for the first time for trainer Michael Stidham in the Gr. 3 Razorback Handicap, Saez was unhurried early in the field of seven for the first half mile. Saez moved Mystic Guide closer to the front down the backstretch and was a head in front at the top of the stretch drawing clear to win by six lengths in 1:45.48 for 1 1/16 miles over a track rated as sloppy.

“Everything was perfect, that was the trip we wanted,” said Saez. “We had the perfect spot from the outside. I just tried to keep the horse clean and he was comfortable all the way. He got to the top of the stretch and took off. It was a great race.”

Eclipse-award winning trainer Brad Cox engaged regular rider Luis Saez, on 4-5 favorite Essential Quality in the Gr. 3 Southwest Stakes at 1 1/16 miles. Breaking from the rail, Saez settled the reigning Champion 2-year-old behind Jackie's Warrior who set the pace for the first half mile in the field of seven. Saez patiently moved Essential Quality to the outside and made his move turning for home and drew well clear to win by 4-1/2 lengths in 1:44.33 over the sloppy track.

“I'm so excited,” Saez said. “I'm very happy to riding this horse. We were waiting a long time. What a talented horse. We knew the speed was to our outside. The plan was to follow him (Jackie's Warrior) the whole way. Everything came together. He finished very strong and I still had a lot of horse.”

Saez currently sits in second place in the jockey standings at Gulfstream Park. His weekly stats included seven wins from 22 starts for a win percentage of 31.82 percent and an in-the-money percentage of 59 percent with total purses earned $954,917 to lead all jockeys for the week.

Saez out-polled fellow riders Junior Alvarado with two stakes wins, James Graham who tied for second leading rider by wins with eight, Trevor McCarthy with seven wins and Jose Ortiz who won two graded stakes including the Fountain of Youth.

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Updated: ‘Integrity Issue’ Behind 30-Day Suspension Of Eclipse Award-Winning Apprentice

Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey Alexander Crispin has been suspended for 30 days and fined $1,000 for carrying the wrong weight during a race at Laurel Park in Maryland, the Daily Racing Form reported Tuesday.

On Wednesday, DRF reported the circumstances surrounding the ruling. Maryland stewards had heard rumors about Crispin allegedly riding under weight.

The race in question is the ninth on Jan. 16, 2021, in which Alpha Queue finished third. The horse, trained by Lacey Gaudet, was disqualified, and the Equibase chart notes that it “carried wrong weight.” Crispin's listed weight in the chart, presumably the weight at which he was supposed to ride Alpha Queue, was 115 pounds.

Video evidence showed that Crispin weighed in at 115 before the race, but 110 afterward.

According to the condition book, Crispin can ride at as low as 108 pounds.

Maryland rules require disqualification if the jockey rides at least one pound below listed weight, while overweights may be penalized with warnings.

“We felt, as a group, that it was an integrity issue, and it needed to be addressed,” chief state steward Adam Campola told drf.com. “We wanted to make sure something like this doesn't happen again.”

Two stewards outside of Maryland, commenting without specific knowledge of Crispin's case, told the Daily Racing Form that the fine and suspension suggest Crispin may have deliberately falsified his weight, or knew that he was not riding under the assigned weight.

Amateur Jockey Rob James Apologizes For ‘Wholly Inappropriate’ Actions In Viral Video

Amateur jockey Rob James issued an apology via The Irish Field on Tuesday, after a video depicting him astride a dead horse made the rounds on social media.

“I would just like of apologize for my actions which were wholly inappropriate and disrespectful to a lovely 5-year-old mare, who unfortunately suffered a sudden cardiac arrest while at exercise earlier that morning, April 30, 2016,” James said. “To try defending my stupidity at the time would add further insult and hurt to the many loyal people that have supported me during my career. I have caused embarrassment to my employers, my family and most importantly the sport I love.”

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) announced it would investigate the via, stating via Twitter: “We are aware of further social media content circulating and the matter is under investigation.”

The video of James follows the emergence of a picture of trainer Gordon Elliott astride a fallen racehorse, which caused the trainer to be banned the British Horseracing Authority.

Together Again: Kent Desormeaux Teams Up With Agent Tony Matos

Two Kentucky Derby wins and two decades later, Kent Desormeaux and Tony Matos are together again.

The Hall of Fame jockey, who turns 51 on Saturday, and the veteran agent, still prevalent and positive at 76, are business buddies for the first time since 2000, when they won the Kentucky Derby on Fusaichi Pegasus for trainer Neil Drysdale.

“Kent asked me to work for him and I'm very happy to get together again,” said Matos, who has won the Run for the Roses six times, with Angel Cordero Jr. twice (Cannonade in 1974 and Bold Forbes in 1976); Laffit Pincay Jr. (Swale, 1984); Desormeaux (Real Quiet 1998 and Fusaichi Pegasus); and Victor Espinoza (War Emblem 2002).

Cordero, Pincay, Desormeaux and Espinoza are members of the Hall of Fame, as are two other former Matos clients, the late Garrett Gomez and Gary Stevens.

Matos has represented Edwin Maldonado for a year come May and will continue to do so with Desormeaux now on board.

“Kent has three Kentucky Derby wins (Big Brown in 2008 in addition to Real Quiet and Fusaichi Pegasus), so maybe each one of us can add one more to our resumes,” Matos said. “We did well together in the past. It's been a good relationship and we remain good friends.

“I'm really looking forward to representing him and Maldonado. Kent is working horses in the morning and focused on getting his business back together.”

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