For the second week in a row, Flavien Prat earned the title of Jockey of the Week with 10 wins including two graded stakes victories. The honor, 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 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
It is almost becoming the norm that has Flavien Prat winning races in double digits for the week. He began the racing week at Santa Anita on Friday, winning claiming races for trainers Jeff Mullins and Richard Mandella, plus an Allowance Optional Claiming race for Michael McCarthy.
On Saturday with mounts in six races, Prat won the third race, a claiming contest, for trainer Phil D'Amato. Trainer Bob Baffert then gave a leg up to Prat on Under the Stars in the Grade 2 Santa Ynez for 3-year-old fillies. Off as the favorite in the field of six and breaking from the rail, Under the Stars took pressure from her rivals but started to take control on the far turn to post an impressive 3/4-length win for the seven furlongs in 1:22.51.
“I thought it was a good run,” Prat said. “There was pressure all the way around. The one hole was not the best place, but she overcame that.”
Prat also won the last race on the card, a Maiden Special Weight for trainer Simon Callaghan.
On Sunday's nine race card, Prat won Maiden Special Weight races one and three for trainer Phil D'Amato.
He was next aboard Zero Tolerance for trainer Ruben Alvarado in the G3 Las Cienegas for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up. Breaking from the far outside in the field of seven, Zero Tolerance followed the favorite Hear My Prayer. Gaining the advantage at the top of the stretch, Zero Tolerance held off a late challenge from Tapwater and Joe Bravo to win by a head in 1:13.26 for 6 1/2 furlongs on the downhill turf course.
“She can be a little on her toes sometimes, but she was relaxing well today and when it was time to make a move, she responded well,” said Prat who was riding the 4-year-old for the fourth time.
With the win, Prat collected his sixth stakes of the young meet. Prat followed the stakes win with a victory in the 8th race, a Starter Allowance, for trainer Leonard Powell.
Prat's weekly statistics were 17-10-2-0 for total purse earnings of $470,320. Prat was leading jockey for the week in total and stakes purse earnings. He is currently the leading rider at Santa Anita with 21 wins.
Prat outpolled jockeys Kendrick Carmouche who also won 10 races for the week, Javier Castellano who won a stakes race at Aqueduct, Dylan Davis also with a stakes win at Aqueduct and Alfredo Juarez, Jr. who won a stakes race at Sunland Park.
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