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.
The post Vazquez Gears Up For Kentucky Derby/Oaks With Four-Win Day At Santa Anita appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
