Luis Saez | Horse Racing Free Tips

Espinoza Tests Positive For Coronavirus

Triple Crown-winning jockey Victor Espinoza has tested positive for coronavirus and will be out of action for an undetermined period of time, Daily Racing Form reported late Friday. He is the third rider who competed at Los Alamitos Saturday, July 4, who has tested positive. Jockey Martin Garcia was en route to ride the Indiana Derby program at Indiana Grand Wednesday when he was informed of his positive, while Luis Saez, who was aboard Uncle Chuck in the GIII Los Alamitos Derby, rode two races at Keeneland Friday before his agent Kiaran McLaughlin confirmed the result. In contrast to Garcia and Saez, Espinoza had not traveled anywhere by plane.

DRF reported that Espinoza was tested Thursday with the expectation that the results would be in hand by the 2 p.m. opener of the Del Mar meeting Friday afternoon. Espinoza took off his mounts when the results had not yet been returned. Espinoza’s agent Brian Beach told DRF that Espinoza was able to secure a test Friday from the nearby Scripps hospital, where he rehabbed from serious injuries in 2018. The test was quickly processed and the results came back later in the afternoon, confirming the positive.

Espinoza is a three-time Kentucky Derby winner and piloted American Pharoah to the Triple Crown in 2015.

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Luis Saez Tests Positive For Coronavirus At Keeneland, Remains Asymptomatic

Jockey Luis Saez was abruptly removed from mounts early on Friday's race card at Keeneland after he was notified he had tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to the Daily Racing Form's Matt Hegarty.

Saez remains asymptomatic for COVID-19, and was tested Thursday morning as part of routine monitoring for jockeys competing at the track. He will now be required to enter a minimum 10-day quarantine period, which means he will be unable to ride Maximum Security in his anticipated summer debut in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap next weekend.

Two days ago on July 8, fellow jockey Martin Garcia tested positive for the virus as part of routine testing required to ride at Keeneland. Garcia had been on his way to ride at Indiana Grand when he was informed of his test results.

In the past ten days, Saez has ridden at Keeneland, Indiana Grand, Belmont Park and Los Alamitos. Agent Kiaran McLaughlin told Hegarty the rider had tested negative for the virus when in New York on July 5.

Baffert 1-2 In Los Alamitos Derby As Uncle Chuck Defeats Thousand Words

Less than one month removed from a daylight debut win, Uncle Chuck stepped into stakes company and impressed again, easily capturing the Grade 3, $150,000 Los Alamitos Derby Saturday at Los Alamitos race course in Cypress, Calif.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for owners Mike Pegram, Karl Watson and Paul Weitman, Uncle Chuck, a 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo, tracked the pace outside Great Power for about six furlongs, looked like he might face a challenge from stablemate Thousand Words, but kicked away under Luis Saez to win by four lengths in 1:47.65 for the 1 1/8 miles.

The victory was the fourth in a row for Baffert in the Los Alamitos Derby and the fifth in seven years since daytime thoroughbred racing returned in 2014. The other winners include Gimme Da Lute (2015), West Coast (2017), Once On Whiskey (2018) and Game Winner last year.

The Los Alamitos Derby was added to the Road to the Kentucky Derby, with 20-8-4-2 qualifying points going to the four runners.

A $250,000 purchase out of the 2018 Keeneland September sale, Uncle Chuck, who is out of the Unbridled's Song mare Forest Music, paid $2.80 as the 2-5 favorite. There was no place or show wagering in a race reduced to four starters after Anneau d'Or was scratched due to illness.

A road trip could be next for the very promising colt, who has banked $120,000.

“That was good,'' said Baffert. “At the top of the lane, I thought Thousand Words might get him, but at least that horse ran better.

“We're just learning more and more about Uncle Chuck. He's still pretty green, but he's got gears. (Saez) was excited about him and I think he's one of the top riders in the country. He said Uncle Chuck is still learning and has got a lot of improvement in him.

“The colt was full of himself when he came back. It's exciting. He's learning quickly and he has brilliance. I was impressed.

“I think we just saw something pretty special and he's been special from day one. He's bred to be any kind.''

Thousand Words, who won the G2 Los Alamitos Futurity last Dec. 7, finished seven lengths clear of the maiden Cosmo as the 9-5 second choice. Great Power completed the order of finish.

Racing without blinkers for the first time since he scored in his sprint debut last Oct. 26, Thousand Words was seeking his initial victory since capturing the G3 Robert B. Lewis March 7.

Saez, who gained the mount on Uncle Chuck since Hall of Famer Mike Smith was at Belmont Park to ride McKinzie in the Runhappy Met Mile, had a double for Baffert as he also won the first race aboard debuter Mohemian Rhapsody.

“(Uncle Chuck) broke great and I just left him alone,'' said Saez. “He was doing it easy all the way. When I showed him the whip in the stretch he took off. He's a very nice colt.''

Racing resumes Sunday at Los Alamitos. Post time for the final day of the Summer Thoroughbred Festival is 1 p.m.

Through six days, Juan Hernandez tops the jockey standings with six wins, one more than Edwin Maldonado, who doubled Saturday. Baffert leads the trainers with four victories.

Apprentice Alexis Centeno, a native of Puerto Rico, earned his first U.S. win with Love Your Life in Saturday's second race.

Updated Kentucky Derby points leaderboard

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Garoppolo Is First Winner For Grade 1 winner Outwork

WinStar Farm's Outwork, a Grade 1 winner by Uncle Mo, sired his first winner when Garoppolo won a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Belmont Park on Friday, July 3.

With Luis Saez riding for trainer Kelly Breen, Garoppolo broke alertly and tracked the early pace from third down the backstretch. He ranged up strongly three-wide on the far turn, assumed command in deep stretch and forged clear late to post a determined one-length victory in his second career start.

Owned by Mr. Amore Stable, Garoppolo was bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds. The bay colt, a $125,000 OBS March graduate, is out the multiple stakes-placed Cuvee mare Romantic Cuvee and hails from the family of multiple graded stakes winner and near-millionaire Senor Swinger.

“We believe the sky is the limit for Outwork,” said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president, CEO, and racing manager. “He has always reminded us of his sire, Uncle Mo, and we're excited to see that he is passing on the speed and precociousness that his sire line is known for.”

Outwork became Uncle Mo's first winner as a 2-year-old when he won his 2015 Keeneland career debut at 4 1/2 furlongs. Outwork registered his biggest career victory in 2016, winning the $1-million Grade 1 Wood Memorial at Aqueduct for owner-breeder Mike Repole and trainer Todd Pletcher. Outwork retired with earnings of $701,800, having finished first or second in four of five lifetime starts.

The first Grade 1-winning son of Uncle Mo to retire to stud, Outwork is produced from the Grade 1-placed Empire Maker mare Nonna Mia, a three-quarter sister to multiple Grade 2 winner and sire Cairo Prince.

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