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Joel Rosario Voted Jockey Of The Week After Trio Of Stakes Wins

Joel Rosario was on the road over the holiday weekend winning two graded stakes at Prairie Meadows and a listed stakes at Belmont Park earning Jockey of the Week for June 28 through July 5. 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 Friday night, Rosario invaded Prairie Meadows for engagements on two mounts in the Iowa Festival of Racing. Off as the favorite for trainer Mike Maker in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks, Army Wife and Joel Rosario sat third while saving ground early after breaking from post 1. Rosario angled out four wide at the top of the stretch and collared the leader Shesa Mystery near the eighth pole drawing off to win the one and one-sixteenth contest by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:43.10.

“She performed really well like she did the last time,” Rosario said. “It looks like she is getting better.”

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go headlined the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap and did not disappoint. Given a leg up by trainer Brad Cox, Rosario sat motionless most of the 1 1/8 miles race aboard Knicks Go, having gained the early lead in the field of seven. He extended his advantage on the far turn and cruised to a 10-1/4 length win in 1:47.33.

On Monday, back at Belmont Park riding for trainer Christophe Clement, Rosario was aboard Gufo in the first running of the Grand Couturier Stakes, a 1-1/2 mile turf test. Breaking from post 6, Rosario saved ground in last with Tide of the Sea on the lead. On the far turn, Rosario urged Gufo out and picked off his rivals one by one. Tide of the Sea re-rallied in the stretch but Gufo prevailed by a length in 2:28.73, surviving an objection by the fourth place finisher Sadler's Joy.

“He always likes to look around a little bit, and that was it. He was fine after that,” said Rosario about his stretch run.

Rosario's weekly stats were 22-5-3-6 for a 22.7 percent win rate and total purses of $608,270.

For Jockey of the Week, Rosario out-polled Samy Camacho who tied for number of wins with Luis Saez who also won two stakes races, Mike Smith who won two Grade 3 stakes and John Velazquez who won two Grade 2 stakes races.

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Trio Of Cross Country Stakes Wins Net Florent Geroux Jockey Of The Week Title

With two stakes wins at Canterbury Park and a graded stakes win at Churchill Downs, Florent Geroux was voted Jockey of the Week for June 21 through June 27. 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.

Geroux doesn't travel to Canterbury Park often to ride, but on Wednesday evening with four mounts during the Northern Stars Turf Festival he won two stakes with a second and third. The team of Trainer Brad Cox and Geroux won the Curtis Simpson Oaks with Saranya who went off as the favorite in the field of nine 3-year-old fillies. She raced three deep while tracking the leaders on the backstretch, taking command at the furlong marker and held off a late charge from Amalfi Princess with a final time 1:35.04 for the mile.

Cox and Geroux struck again in the Mystic Lake Mile for 3-year-olds and up with Hieronymus. The second choice in the field of nine, Geroux had Hieronymus forwardly placed just off the pacesetter racing to the backstretch. He closed the gap through the stretch to prevail by a nose on the wire in 1:32.93, establishing a new track record for the mile.

Returning to Churchill Downs on Saturday, the Cox/Geroux team went postward with Set Piece (GB) in the Grade 2 Wise Dan for 4-year-olds an up. Somelikeithotbrown was on the lead early, while Set Piece (GB) ran in ninth. At the head of the lane, Set Piece (GB) closed ground while still seven lengths behind Somelikeithotbrown. Inside the eighth pole, Geroux guided Set Piece (GB) inside to rally past Somelikeithotbrown to win by a half-length in 1:40.50 for the one and one-sixteenth mile turf contest.

“He's a very nice horse,” Geroux said. “No matter where he comes from, inside or outside, he always seems to rally late. Turning for home, he gave me his best run.”

Weekly statistics for Geroux were 29-9-9-2 for a 31 percent win rate and total purse earning of $912,280.

Geroux out-polled fellow riders Brian Hernandez, Jr. with two stakes wins, Miguel Mena who won the Grade 3 Ohio Derby, Jose Ortiz with two graded stakes wins and John Velazquez also with two stakes wins.

Geroux plans to ride full time at Ellis Park this summer with occasional trips to Saratoga or Del Mar.

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Trio Of Stakes Wins Net Juan J. Hernandez Jockey Of The Week Title

Juan J. Hernandez made the most of closing weekend at Santa Anita winning three stakes races leading to Jockey of the Week honors for June 14 through June 20. 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, trainer Richard Mandella gave a leg up to regular rider Hernandez on Kanderel in the Siren Lure Stakes at 6-1/2 furlongs on the turf. Breaking from the rail in the field of seven, Kanderel was six lengths off dueling leaders Texas Wedge and Tilted Towers heading to the far turn. With a furlong to run, Kanderel rallied from last to win in 1:14.98.

“I broke from the inside, number one post and Mr. Mandella told me to ride the horse like the last time,” said Hernandez. “My horse, he loves to come from behind. I was saving ground and at the (top of) the stretch, I decided to go outside and make my run.”

On Sunday, closing day at Santa Anita, Hernandez rode heavy favorite Big City Lights for trainer Luis Mendez in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity winning gate-to-wire by 7-1/4 lengths while getting five furlongs in :58.20.

“This horse is improving a lot,” said Hernandez. “Last time he broke a little slow, but today he broke really sharp and I was clear in front, probably three or four jumps after. When I asked him at the quarter pole, he took off again, he's a nice horse.”

Hernandez continued his winning ways by riding Warren's Showtime for trainer Craig Lewis in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes. Off as the favorite, Hernandez and Warren's Showtime were next to last travelling on the backside. At the top of the stretch, Hernandez took Warren's Showtime four wide to win the one mile turf event by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:34.29.

“We've been knocking on the door the last few times, we were third, second, just missing the winner, but today I think the pace was the key,” said Hernandez who registered his third win of the day. “That was a good pace because she was flying at the end.”

Weekly stats for Hernandez were 24-7-3-2 for 29 percent win rate, 50 percent in-the-money and total purses of $369,886 to lead all jockeys.

Hernandez out-polled Tyler Baze who won two stakes races, Alex Bizer who led all jockeys with 10 wins, Joel Rosario with a graded stakes win and Tim Thornton with a 33 percent strike rate from 24 mounts.

Hernandez finished second in the winter/spring jockey standings with 92 wins and eight graded stakes.

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‘Fair Compromise’: With Jockeys’ Guild On Board, Kentucky Commission Approves New Whip Rules

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission gave unanimous approval Tuesday to the new whip rules agreed upon by the Thoroughbred Safety Coalition and The Jockeys' Guild last month, reports the Daily Racing Form.

Kentucky's Legislative Research Commission is expected to recommend the new whip rules for approval later this year, so they could go into effect in late 2021.

The new rules are as follows:

A limit on overhanded strikes to a total of six throughout the race. Riders are required to give the horse a chance to respond after two. Overhanded uses may not include the rider raising the whip above the helmet.
Underhanded or backhanded use may begin in the final 3/8 of a mile. These uses will not count toward the six strike limit.
Showing the horse the whip or tapping the horse on the shoulder will remain acceptable if both hands are on the reins
Stewards can impose either a $500 minimum fine or a three-day minimum suspension. If the violation is egregious and intentional, they could impose both. Mitigating factors could include the rider's history with whip violations, and the number and types of use beyond the above restrictions

“We know this rule is a fair compromise and in the best interests of our industry,” Terry Meyocks, the chief executive officer of The Jockeys' Guild, told the KHRC after Tuesday's vote.