Tag: People

It's quite possibly a Southern California jockey's worst nightmare. Flavien Prat returning to ride at Del Mar. When we last saw Prat riding on the West Coast he was dominating the jockey standings, running together a string of riding titles at both Del Mar and Santa Anita.

So when he picked up and left for the East Coast last April, there was a collective sigh of relief in the jocks room and several riders gathered their tack and moved to Del Mar for the summer meet in hopes of filling the void left behind by Prat.

But this fall, for a number of reasons, Prat has decided to return to Del Mar and afterward, spend the winter at Santa Anita.

“First because it's home, I have my house here,” Prat explained when asked why he made the move. “Del Mar has always been a very good meet. There's always good horses. Then the Santa Anita winter meet is always a strong meet.”

Irad Ortiz Jr. continues to dominate Belmont Park and Saratoga in much the same way Prat dominated when he was riding on the West Coast. But Prat did very well in New York finishing second to Ortiz in number of wins at Belmont Park's spring meet and then runner-up again to Ortiz at Saratoga over the summer. Prat slipped to seventh in the jockey standings at the just concluded Belmont Park at Aqueduct meet.

“I really enjoy riding over there,” Prat said. “The main key for us riders is as long as you ride good horses, it's fun, but if you don't ride good horses it's a different deal. I went back east and had the support of multiple trainers.”

He said it took a bit of an adjustment to riding fulltime in New York.

“The tracks are a bit slower on the East Coast,” Prat said, “so they train differently, which means they run differently.”

Prat currently sits second in the nation in earnings for the year with $27,822,732 behind, who else, Ortiz. He's tied with Edwin Maldonado for second in the Del Mar jockey standings with four wins. Among his mounts this year, he was the regular rider of undefeated Flightline, the world's best racehorse who was based in California with trainer John Sadler until his recent retirement after winning the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland.

“Trainers who have been a big part of my success here in California have been supporting me since I came back, and I'm really grateful for that,” Prat said.

Like so many of the jockeys in horse racing, Prat started at an early age.

“My dad is a harness trainer so I've always been around horses,” Prat says. “I started doing pony races and then when I got to 14 I got to go to jockey school. I started riding in France when I was 16.”

He credits his success on the track to his childhood.

“I think it's a huge edge to have the chance to grow around horses,” Prat said, “and learn how to ride early.”

Prat was not the only New York rider to relocate to southern California this fall. Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has also made the temporary move, making the Del Mar jockey colony as competitive as ever, joining such emerging stars as Juan Hernandez and Umberto Rispoli.

“I think the colony is very good,” Prat said. “It's been a year or two now of different riders coming into the states and riding here. I think it's great.”

Prat intends to keep the same timeline he used last year, riding at Santa Anita until April and then riding at Keeneland before returning to New York when Belmont Park opens for its spring meet.

The post ‘I Think The Colony Is Very Good’: Del Mar Fall Meet Prat’s Launching Pad To Santa Anita Meet appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Jockey Sheldon Russell took off his mounts Sunday at Laurel Park and is considered “day to day” after being unseated at the start of Saturday's sixth race, according to agent Marty Leonard.

A seven-time meet-leading jockey in Maryland who was the state's overall champion in 2011, the 34-year-old Russell was shaken up when Raise Your Game, a 3-year-old filly trained by Mike Gorham, stumbled badly one jump out of the starting gate for the six-furlong claiming event and caused Russell to lose his balance.

Tended to on the track before being helped to his feet and into the track ambulance, Russell was replaced on his three remaining mounts, two of which – Full Count Felicia and Prince of Jericho, both trained by his wife, Brittany Russell – went on to win.

Of Russell's Sunday mounts, The Elkstone Group's 2-year-old Super Saver homebred It's Viper ($9.80), trained by Brittany Russell, won a maiden claimer in Race 5 under Jevian Toledo.

Russell is named in one of eight races Monday, three of nine races Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, and four of nine races Friday, Nov. 25 at Laurel. A winner of 1,544 career races, Russell went 296 days between races following surgery and rehabilitation for a right foot injury before winning in his July 1 return at Laurel.

The post Jockey Russell Misses Sunday Mounts After Being Unseated Saturday, Listed ‘Day to Day’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Trainer Wayne Catalano has gained many fans on his Twitter page (@CATracingstable) by sharing his daily cooking adventures. He offered his favorite Thanksgiving Day recipe: oyster stuffing.

“Thanksgiving is always a special time when you get to spend it with family,” Catalano said. “I think I'm going to go back home for a few days to Chicago. I haven't been home in a long time, and it will be good to go see my wife, Renee, and the rest of my family. We always have the usual stuff, but the key dishes are the oyster stuffing, baked mac and cheese, and sweet potato casserole.”

Catalano's oyster stuffing starts with mixing carrots, celery, and onions along with seasoned ground chuck.

“You start with the usual 'trinity' as they call it and combine it all together to cook down,” Catalano said. “I usually get some regular ground chuck and cook that and combine it with all of the carrots, onions, and celery. You don't need sirloin or anything special, just some good chuck.

“Then, of the key things I like to do is take stale bread and soak it in the oyster juices. Next, you mix in the oysters with the ground chuck, carrots, celery, and onions. Finally, add the bread and mix it all together before baking in the oven.”

Catalano shared one final thought on cooking for the holiday seasons, “You always know going into the holidays cooking is going to be a lot of work, but it's all worth it in the end when you're sitting around the table with your family.”

The post ‘Cookin’ With Cat’: Trainer, Chef Catalano Shares Favorite Thanksgiving Recipe appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The jockey colony at Del Mar is constantly evolving. New riders come in every year, while some leave for other circuits. But it's not every year a Racing Hall of Fame jockey joins the ranks. This fall the number of Hall of Famers in the jockeys' room at Del Mar increased by one with the addition of John Velazquez, longtime riding star in New York.

The 50-year-old Velazquez joins fellow Hall of Famers Mike Smith, Victor Espinoza, and Kent Desormeaux, though he is not exactly a stranger to Del Mar. Velazquez, who's been riding since 1990, came out west and rode in his first race at Del Mar in the 2015 Matriarch (G1). He's since ridden in 72 races at the seaside oval, winning 17. His biggest wins at Del Mar came in the 2017 Breeders' Cup when he won the Distaff (g1) aboard Forever Unbridled and the Mile (G1) with World Approval.

This winter, Velazquez plans to ride fulltime at Santa Anita, and he's hoping to use the fall meet at Del Mar as a sort of springboard.

“I wanted to get it started here so the trainers and owners know I'm going to be here for the winter,” Velazquez says. “Hopefully I'll get the opportunities to ride some real nice horses here and keep me going for the winter.”

Velazquez has been on some of the best. He's ridden three Kentucky Derby (G1) winners; Authentic (2020), Always Dreaming (2017), and Animal Kingdom (2011). Four if you include Medina Spirit, who was disqualified a year after winning the 2021 Run for the Roses.

He added his 19th Breeders' Cup win this year when he got Malathaat up at the wire to win the Distaff. He's second to Mike Smith's 27 Breeders' Cup victories. In all, Velazquez has won over 6,400 races, nearly 700 of them stakes, and more than 200 Grade 1 races.

So it comes as no surprise that the two-time Eclipse Award winner as outstanding jockey (2004, 2005) would start Del Mar's Bing Crosby meet with back-to-back winners on opening day, but Velazquez insists there is a learning curve at every track.

“It's like everything, you have to adjust to wherever you go,” Velazquez says. “Every racetrack has different turns and where the poles are. You have to get used to it and do your homework and hopefully you get some nice horses and they respond to what you like to do. I got lucky (on opening day); the horses ran really well.”

Velazquez' experience with horses dates back to his days as a kid growing up in Puerto Rico.

“I grew up around horses,” Velazquez says, “and I met Julio Garcia when I was 14-years-old. He was the leading rider in Puerto Rico. That got me interested in racing.”

Velazquez arrived in New York in 1990 where another Hall of Fame rider, Angel Cordero Jr., took him under his wing. It wasn't long before “Johnny V” was winning graded stakes races and making a name for himself. But don't ask him who his favorite horse is. There's been too many.

“I've been so blessed to ride so many good horses,” Velazquez says. “That's what keeps me here and gives me the career that I have so far.”

The post Winter Quarters: Velazquez Making Himself At Home At Del Mar With Eye Toward Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post