A Quick Check-In With Angel Cordero Jr.

In less than five weeks, the King of Saratoga will head north to return to his kingdom in Upstate New York. But for now, Hall of Famer Angel Cordero, Jr. is busy at Belmont Park as the jockey agent for up-and-coming young rider Manny Franco.

These days, it's not easy to make it to the top of the jockey ranks in New York, according to Cordero.

“Fortunately, we have something happening here that didn't happen for a long time anywhere,” he said. “We have the top nine or 10 riders and they're all riding together. We haven't seen competition that hard since Santa Anita when they had [Bill] Shoemaker, Laffit [Pincay, Jr.], [Eddie] Delahoussaye and [Chris] McCarron all together. Now it's tough. You've got 10 top riders here that no matter where they go, they could be leading rider.”

Cordero has enjoyed watching, and in many cases mentoring, many of the jockeys who are at the top of today's standings.

“They have all come a long way to reach the top,” he said. “I remember when Johnny [Velazquez] was a little kid and came here to the United States and worked his way to becoming the champion he is now. I remember the Ortiz brothers when they first got to this country. They used to come to the house and watch film and ride the Equicizer. I remember when Manny Franco came in and he was a kid. Now I'm very fortunate to be working with him.”

Sometimes, he says, seeing these talented athletes in action makes him a bit melancholy as he reminisces on his career that included 14 riding titles at Saratoga and three wins in the GI Kentucky Derby.

“I wish I was riding now because that's what makes an athlete a little better. When you compete with somebody that is good, then you know you're really in for a fight. The friendships with the jockeys is outside [of the racetrack.] When the gate opens, nobody is friends. When you don't win a race, ten minutes later- maybe not right after, but ten minutes later- everything is back to normal.”

One of Cordero's favorite racing memories involving a fellow Hall of Fame jockey is when he traveled to California to ride for D. Wayne Lukas and was coupled in an entry with Laffit Pincay Jr. After the races that evening, Pincay offered to drive Cordero back to the airport.

“We got out of the car at the airport and we hugged each other and he said, 'Good luck, Campeon,'” Cordero recalled.

The then-newcomer was riding high as he made he way through the airport after being referred to as a champion by the well-respected rider.

“That hit me really hard,” Cordero said. “I was sitting in first class thinking that I was the president of the United States.”

When he landed back on the East Coat and his wife was there to greet him, Cordero insisted that he now be referred to as 'Campeon.'

“Laffit called me Campeon and I like it,” he told her. “And if Laffit called me Campeon, you should call me Campeon.”

“Okay, Campeon,” she said. “Get in the car and let's go.”

When Cordero returned to California a few weeks later, he heard a child along the paddock ask Pincay for an autograph.

“I'll give it to you later, Campeon,” Pincay responded.

“When I came home, my wife asked how I did,” Cordero said. “I told her I won, but I'm sad because I'm not a Campeon anymore. Laffit calls everybody a Campeon. I thought it was a privilege for me, but it wasn't.”

While he's been retired from riding for well over two decades, Cordero has retained his role as an important ambassador in racing and one of the sport's biggest cheerleaders.

“Right now what we need is to stay together and rebuild our game,” he said. “This is the best sport and there are a lot of people involved in it from grooms to hot walkers and assistant trainers. We need to get together and try to make our sport the best. We are all going to have problems and that's a part of life, but I think as a group we can always get together and do the right thing for the sport.”

Angel Cordero Jr., along with Chris McCarron, Richard Migliorie, Laffit Pincay Jr. and Jorge Velazquez, will be featured at the 2021 Champions Talk fundraiser for the New York Race Track Chaplaincy in the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Saratoga Springs on July 19.

For more information on tickets, visit www.rtcany.org.

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‘Champions Talk’ to Feature Five Champion Jockeys

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy announced the 2021 renewal of its Champions Talk fundraiser will feature five retired champion jockeys–Ángel Cordero Jr., Chris McCarron, Richard Migliore, Laffit Pincay Jr. and Jorge Velasquez. The quintet won over 34,000 races. The fundraiser will premiere on the organization's YouTube Channel and Facebook page Aug. 11, 2021.

Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., a three-time Eclipse award winner, will also be honored in recognition of his dedication and support of the backstretch community in New York. Durkin, the former New York Racing Association announcer, will once again serve as the moderator for the panel and the discussion will be held in the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Saratoga Springs.

“Champions Talk was so popular that we decided to make it a permanent part of our calendar,” said Ramón Dominguez, the President of the Board of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy.

“We are thrilled to have this star-studded lineup of riders and we know that fans will thoroughly enjoy hearing their tales and recollections from some of the most memorable races in the history of the sport.”

Tickets and sponsorships are available for the taping of the event which will be followed by a cocktail reception July 19 at Fasig-Tipton. In accordance with health protocols, a limited number of seats for the taping will be sold to the public and made available to sponsors.

As was the case last year, this event will be the sole Saratoga fundraiser for the organization.

“The needs of the backstretch workers over the past year have been even greater due to the pandemic and we hope racing fans will once again demonstrate their generosity by supporting

this event,” Rev. Humberto Chavez said.

For more information on tickets, or make a contribution to the NY Chaplaincy, visit www.rtcany.org.

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Prat Wins Six Consecutive Races At Santa Anita

Although he finished second in Friday's first race, Santa Anita's leading rider Flavien Prat was very much undeterred, as he proceeded to boot home the winners of the next six consecutive races, culminating with a masterful ride going a mile and one quarter on turf in the seventh race of the day at the Arcadia, Calif., track aboard the Richard Baltas-trained Disappearing Act—his final mount of the day.

“It's been a great day, I'm very fortunate, I was on good horses today and things turned out my way,” said Prat, 28, who now leads Santa Anita's Winter/Spring Meet jockey standings by a 56-42 margin over Juan Hernandez.

Does winning number six in a row at a mile and a quarter down the hillside turf course make this accomplishment any more special?

“When you win six, it doesn't really matter, but it feels good,” said Prat.  “The turf course is really good.  With the rain we've had, I thought they did a crazy job getting it in shape and it's been a pleasure to ride on it.  I thought I had some good chances today, but how many times have I thought I had a good chance and come back with nothing?

“Things have to go your way and some things are out of my hands, but there are days that no matter what you do, it's going to be the right thing, so you have to take advantage of it because it's not always like this.”

Fifth at the rail and full of run a quarter mile from home, Prat swung four deep at the top of the stretch and Disappearing Act held off a stiff challenge from Witch Moon and Hernandez to prevail by a  hard-fought head.

Off as the even money favorite in a field of eight maiden fillies and mares three and up, Disappearing Act, who is owned and bred in Kentucky by BHMFR, LLC, paid $4.20 to win and covered the mile and one quarter over a turf listed as “good” in 2:05.25.

Prat's earlier winners on Friday were:  R2 #6 Dr. Hoffman ($3.20); R3 #2 Ippodamia's Girl ($16.00); R4 #7 Missy P. ($2.80); R5 #7 Burnin Turf ($3.80); R6 #3 Rather Nosy ($4.00) and R7 #8 Disappearing Act ($4.20).

A two-time leading rider at Santa Anita's Winter/Spring stand, Prat, who was born on Aug. 4, 1992, in Melun, France, becomes the first Santa Anita jockey to win six consecutive races since Laffit Pincay, Jr. did it on March 14, 1987 — en route to winning a record seven races on the day.

Prat becomes the 10th jockey to win six races in one day at Santa Anita, joining Bill Shoemaker (Feb. 23, 1962); Pincay (twice, on Feb. 17, 1973, & March 4, 1981); Steve Valdez (Oct. 15, 1973); Sandy Hawley (twice, on Feb. 20, 1976, & March 26, 1976); Darrel McHargue (twice, on March 5, 1978 & Oct. 25, 1979); Patrick Valenzuela (Oct. 21, 1988); Martin Pedroza (Oct. 31, 1992); Corey Nakatani (April 23, 2000) and Rafael Bejarano (April 8, 2006).

With Prat named to ride eight horses, racing resumes with a nine-race card on Saturday.  First post time is at 12:30 p.m. PT.

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Through Starts And Stops Of Santa Anita Meet, Leading Rider Prat Stayed Focused And Fit

Flavien Prat won Santa Anita's riding title in a landslide. Going into Sunday's 12-race closing-day program at the Arcadia, Calif., track, the final numbers are a mere formality as Prat had an insurmountable 89-61 lead over runner-up Abel Cedillo after winning five races on Saturday.

He has no chance of breaking Laffit Pincay's record of 138 victories at a Santa Anita meet, set in 1970-71, but the 27-year-old Frenchman's achievement was a virtual fait accompli throughout the undulating “Races Without Faces” meet, especially after he won six races on the card May 17.

It's been a team effort.

Due to the pandemic, there were starts, stops and intermissions at the current campaign, so with regard to specific numbers such as wins, mounts and days raced at past meets, this was similar to the proverbial comparison of apples and oranges.

But considering the circumstances, Prat's agent, Derek Lawson, will take it.

“I don't know how Pincay won 138, even though he probably rode in more races and on more days,” said Lawson, agent six years now for reigning Kentucky Derby winner Prat. “As for us, it wasn't just what we endured, because the entire country endured a shutdown.

“Both Flavien and I stayed focused by watching races that were available to us, and physically, he trained as hard as he possibly could.

“He didn't slow down; just kept training and working out, riding the stationary bicycle in his garage 21 miles a day, swimming and using weights he purchased and had in his home.

“He also watched whatever old races that were available and kept his mind in the game. It was the same with me. We focused on one topic, and it was racing.

“I also maintained contact with trainers who were keeping their horses sharp, and one was Peter Miller at San Luis Rey. With guys like him, Richie Baltas, Richard Mandella and others, we had some good business when we came back. It was fun.

“Even so, I never thought we'd be riding at this level as far as win percentage (27), but one day led to another and it kept going on and on and on and it worked out really well.”

When it comes to deciding which horse to ride, both agent and rider put their heads together, for the most part.

“We talk about all the horses all the time,” Lawson said. “When it comes to the stakes races, there's greater discussion and a lot of communication between the two of us. It's not just me. I need help to choose in certain situations. It's not cut and dried.

“I'll tell him we have two horses here, what do we do in this situation? Sometimes he leaves it up to me, sometimes he says 'I've got no idea.' There's a lot of communication between the two of us. We have a common goal, to try and win racing titles from the beginning of the year.

“It's really a team effort.”

The team includes Santa Anita's racing department.

“They kept us informed,” Lawson said. “Chris Merz (Racing Director for Santa Anita's Vice President of Racing and Racing Secretary Steve Lym and his diligent staff) stayed in touch with me. We knew they were at the mercy of the (Los Angeles County) Health Department, but we appreciated that they kept us informed on a regular basis.

“Every week or two I would get in touch with them, knowing things were starting to loosen up a little bit. They did a great job having the condition book ready when we were able to get started again.

“It was a matter of extensive communication and making sure everyone was on the right page.

“It worked out great.”

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