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The 19-day Aqueduct Racetrack spring meet, which ran from March 30 to April 30, saw jockey Manny Franco and trainer Linda Rice repeat as the leaders in their respective divisions after taking the titles at this year's Aqueduct winter meet.

Franco paced all other riders to secure his second Big A spring meet riding title with 37 wins while Rice won her fourth Aqueduct spring meet training title with 17 wins.

Franco, a 28-year-old native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, earned the eighth riding title of his career. He was the leading rider on the NYRA circuit in 2018-19 and in addition to his back-to-back meet titles this year, he has also won the 2018 Aqueduct winter and fall; 2019 Aqueduct winter and spring; 2019 Belmont fall; and 2020 Aqueduct winter.

“I'm very grateful for the help of every owner and every trainer,” said Franco. “I'm just happy to keep with the momentum. It means a lot and I try to take advantage of every opportunity I have. It's been paying off.”

Among his meet highlights were stakes scores aboard Law Professor in the Excelsior, Big Everest in the Danger's Hour, Balpool in an off-the-turf edition of the Memories of Silver, and Today's Flavor in the state-bred Affirmed Success on Closing Day. He completed the meet with a 124-37-22-15 record and earnings of $2,078,457, good for a win rate of 29.84 percent and an in-the-money rate of 59.68 percent.

“There were so many winners and I can't just pick one standout,” said Franco. “Every winner means something, and I'm just grateful for all of them. Law Professor isn't easy to ride sometimes, but I get along with him very well and he's won both times I've been on him. I'm happy to ride him. I just want to keep winning and keep the momentum into Belmont.”

Jose Ortiz finished second with a record of 65-16-17-10 while Kendrick Carmouche secured third with a record of 82-14-10-15.

Rice, 59, enjoyed a record of 66-17-13-7 with $1,055,253 in total earnings, giving her a win rate of 25.76 percent and in-the-money percentage of 56.06. It was the 10th overall training title for Rice, whose other wins came at the 2009 Saratoga Race Course meet; 2011 Aqueduct spring [tie]; 2011 Belmont spring/summer [tie]; 2012 Aqueduct spring; 2017 Aqueduct spring [tie]; 2019 Aqueduct winter; 2020 Aqueduct winter; 2022 Aqueduct fall; and aforementioned 2023 Aqueduct winter.

“It's been a very good winter and spring. New York is a tough place, so I'm very excited about it,” Rice said. “Once we got through the winter meet I thought, 'well that will be it for a while,' but things fell into place and went well at the spring meet.”

Rice's meet was headlined by back-to-back graded stakes victories on April 7-8, beginning with Mommasgottarun, who wheeled back on five day's rest to win the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap. Just 24 hours later, Joey Freshwater notched his first stakes score in the Grade 3 Bay Shore. She also celebrated a victory in the NYSSS Park Avenue when Les Bon Temps was elevated to victory for the third stakes win of her career.

“That weekend with the two graded wins was amazing, especially since it was with horses we claimed for $50,000,” said Rice. “Tonal Impact and Majority Partner have run great, and those horses haven't won stakes, but they're horses we claimed last year and they have done super. I'm so proud of the horses, and my team has been working super hard. When you go to Belmont and Saratoga, the water gets so much deeper. We're hoping to have some momentum and keep it going. We'll do the best we can.”

Rob Atras finished second with a record of 37-9-5-4 while Chad Brown finished third with a 37-8-7-9 record.

Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, who have been the leading year-end owner each year on the NYRA circuit since 2019, earned their 21st owners' title at a NYRA meet. Klaravich Stables ended the meet with four wins, capped by an allowance victory on April 23 by the Chad Brown-trained Systemic Change.

Klaravich Stables completed the meet with a record of 18-4-4-3 and earnings of $270,622. It was a five-way tie for second between Peter Brant, Beast Mode Racing, Ten Strike Racing, Madaket Stables and Roger Cimbora Jr., who each posted three wins at the meet.

Live racing resumes Thursday on Opening Day of the spring/summer meet at Belmont Park with a nine-race card. First post is 1 p.m. (ET).

The post Manny Franco Top Jock At Aqueduct Spring Meet, Linda Rice Leads All Trainers appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Tom Pedulla, who has reported on Thoroughbred racing for more than three decades for numerous publications, including Paulick Report, will receive the Old Hilltop Award at the Alibi Breakfast Thursday, May 18 at Pimlico Race Course.

Pedulla will be recognized for covering Thoroughbred racing with excellence and distinction for more than 30 years.

The legendary Alibi Breakfast began in the 1930s on the porch of the old Pimlico Clubhouse and features a gathering of media, owners, trainers, jockeys, horsemen, and fans to celebrate the Preakness (G1) while gaining interesting and humorous race predictions.

Pedulla, who started his career keeping box scores at New York Yankees games for Associated Press, became the Yankees beat writer for Gannett in 1986. Pedulla also has covered Thoroughbred racing for America's Best Racing, BloodHorse, Horse Racing Nation, the New York Times and USA Today. He received the Walter Haight Award for career excellence in Turf writing last year and is a two-time winner of the David F. Woods for best Preakness story.

Pedulla has covered 25 of the last 27 Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup events, and 17 Super Bowls, six Olympics and 11 World Series.

“It is a great honor to receive the Old Hilltop Award from the Maryland Jockey Club. At this time, I cannot help but to think of my father, Louis, an English teacher who brought me the New York Times sports section each day from grammar school through college so I could study the writing style of columnist Red Smith and other greats,” Pedulla said. “I am indebted as well to outlets such as America's Best Racing, BloodHorse, Paulick Report, Horse Racing Nation, the New York Times, and others for allowing me to continue to write.”

Tickets for the Alibi Breakfast can be purchased at: https://am.ticketmaster.com/marylandjockeyclub/ALIBI

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Antonio Fresu, who has been a top jockey at Meydan Racecourse in Dubai in recent years, rode his first winner in North America Saturday at Santa Anita.

In the seventh race, a $20,000 maiden claimer going six furlongs on dirt, Fresu won with 14-1 longshot Trusty Rusty for trainer Doug O'Neill. After breaking a step slow, Trusty Rusty steadily made-up ground down to be second behind only the pacesetting favorite, O'Neill stablemate Bluegrass Go Go. From there, the race quickly turned into a rout. Fresu and Trusty Rusty powered through the stretch to extend their advantage and eventually win by seven lengths.

“It was great to get my first win at Santa Anita,” Fresu said Sunday morning. “I love it here. This place is beautiful.”

A 31-year-old native of the Italian island Sardinia, Fresu arrived in Southern California last Monday and had his first three rides on Friday. He is represented locally by agent Tom Knust. Fresu made the move to Santa Anita at the recommendation of O'Neill and his top assistant, Leandro Mora. O'Neill and Mora became acquainted with Fresu's work when they had a stable at Meydan the past several winters.

“Antonio rode races and worked horses for them in Dubai,” Knust said. “They both thought he had a lot of talent and could do really well here.”

Typically, Fresu rides in Italy after the Meydan meet. But he has no plans to leave Santa Anita any time soon.

“I only bought a one-way ticket,” he noted.

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Seven days before his ride in the 149th Kentucky Derby (G1) aboard Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner Practical Move, jockey Ramon Vazquez got things heated up at the Arcadia, Calif. track with a four-win Saturday.

In the first half of Santa Anita's 12-race card, Vazquez won the first 2-year-old race of the season aboard Turf Paradise shipper Stealthespotlight ($19.50) in the second race for trainer Matt Williams. He added a win in the sixth race for trainer Librado Barocio. on El Oro ($12.40)

Then for good measure, Vazquez swept the late daily double. He won the 11th race with Danzing Cat ($5.40) for trainer Peter Miller and then the nightcap aboard Carmen Miranda ($8.60) for trainer Phil D'Amato.

The flurry of wins moves Vazquez into second place in the Santa Anita's Hollywood Meet jockey standings with six wins, three behind Juan Hernandez.

“Hopefully we can keep the momentum going,” Vazquez's agent, Bill Castle, said Sunday from Clocker's Corner.

After Vazquez completes riding duties Sunday at Santa Anita, he will prepare for his trip to Churchill Downs. He is scheduled to fly to Kentucky on Monday and then ride every day at at the Louisville track starting on Tuesday. He has seven mounts booked already through Thursday with Friday's Kentucky Oaks (G1) card and Saturday's Kentucky Derby program still to be drawn on Monday.

In the Kentucky Oaks, Vazquez has the call on Southern California-based And Tell Me Nolies for trainer Peter Miller.

“I'm hoping for a good experience in Kentucky. Just to enjoy the moment and do the best I can,” Vazquez said on Friday.

Practical Move will be only the second Kentucky Derby mount for Vazquez and first in eight years. In 2015, Vazquez rode longshot Mr. Z for trainer D. Wayne Lukas to a 13th-place finish behind eventual Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.

In that year's 1 1/4-mile classic, which had a field of 18, Mr. Z bobbled slightly at the break and then had to check repeatedly when trying to gain position the first time past the wire. They eventually found themselves mid-pack in eighth, chasing the pace while four to five wide down the backstretch. On the second turn, Mr. Z started to retreat, eventually beating five horses to the wire at 36-1.

Vazquez described the ride aboard Mr. Z as a learning experience.

“What I learned is you have to have good position at the beginning of race,” said the 37-year-old native of Puerto Rico. “I just want to work out a good trip this time, get a good position. Then we'll see what happens.”

Vazquez has never been beaten aboard Practical Move. Since taking over in the irons, Vazquez and Practical Move have teamed to win the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) in December, the San Felipe (G2) on March 4 at Santa Anita, and then the April 8 Santa Anita Derby by a desperate nose.

“I love this horse because he lets me do my job,” Vazquez said. “Whatever I ask him to do, he'll do it.”

Following the 1 1/8-mile Santa Anita Derby, some have questioned the ability of Practical Move to get the taxing 1 ¼-mile distance of the Kentucky Derby. Vazquez is not in that camp.

“Not really. I don't think that distance will bother him at all,” he said. “He's just a good horse and his trainer, Tim Yakteen, has just done an amazing job. He should be 100 percent fit now after that.”

As for Vazquez's Kentucky Oaks contender, And Tell Me Nolies, he has been aboard for all seven of her starts. They teamed to win last year's Del Mar Debutante (G1) and Chandelier (G2) before an eight-place finish in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Keeneland. In two starts this year, both at Santa Anita, they were second to Faiza in both the Santa Ysabel (G3) on March 5 and Santa Anita Oaks (G2) April 8.

“She's a nice filly and we have a shot,” Vazquez said

With Practical Move and And Tell Me Nolies, Vazquez will attempt to become just the eighth jockey to win the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks in the same season. The last to officially do so was Calvin Borel in 2009 with Mine That Bird and Rachel Alexandra. John Velazquez also crossed the wire first in both races in 2021, but the Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit was eventually disqualified months later due to a medication overage.

“It's going to be a fun week in Kentucky,” Vazquez said.

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