Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Gulfstream Today: 3.21.12 - John Velazquez Presented with Hartack Award

Jockey John Velazquez was presented after the last race Wednesday with the Bill Hartack Memorial Award.

The Bill Hartack Charitable Foundation was established by the friends of Bill Hartack to honor the memory and lifetime achievements of the five-time Kentucky Derby winning jockey. Through its philanthropic arm, the Hartack Foundation will annually contribute to thoroughbred racing charities and recognize the jockey who rides the Kentucky Derby winner. Velazquez won the 2011 Kentucky Derby aboard Animal Kingdom.


“It’s a great to be honored for winning the Kentucky Derby and especially in the name of Bill Hartack,” said Velazquez after a winner’s circle presentation attended by fellow jockeys and friends, including Angel Cordero and Todd Pletcher. “It’s funny but last year during Kentucky Derby week I was reading the story about Bill Hartack. And next thing I knew I was winning the Kentucky Derby. So this is a great honor.”

Who’s Hot: Jockey Rajiv Maragh won two races on the card in the fourth and sixth to move into fifth-place in the Gulfstream standings with 48 wins as leading rider Javier Castellano added two scores to run his meet record total up to 105 victories in the fifth and 10th races.

Works of the Day: Stuart S. Janney III’s 6-year-old homebred gelding Hymn Book and Jay Em Ess Stable’s 4-year-old Redeemed, first and third respectively last out in the $500,000 Donn Handicap (G1) on Feb. 11, each posted workouts Wednesday morning for their next engagements.

Hymn Book was timed a half-mile in 49 2/5 at Payson Park for trainer Shug McGaughey with the son of Arch expected to make his next start in the $350,000 Oaklawn Handicap (G2) on Apr. 14 at Oaklawn Park. Redeemed was timed six furlongs in 1:12 flat at Gulfstream Park for trainer Rick Dutrow ahead of his next start in the $400,000 New Orleans Handicap (G2) at Fair Grounds on Apr. 1, a race also reported the target for Twin Creek Racing Stable’s Donn Handicap runner-up Mission Impazible.

Rainbow 6 Carryover: $269,630.14.

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