The King Is Dead; Long Live The King The competition for meet titles among jockeys counts only in Saratoga, or so it seems. Trainers gear up for every New York meet, but the only time a jockey’s race comes to the fore is here, from day one to day 40.
Appropriately, the riding title this year was named the Angel Cordero Award, for Angel Cordero Jr., a.k.a. the “King of Saratoga,“ who won 11 straight Saratoga riding titles and 13 in 14 years, from 1976 to 1989.
Johnny Velazquez, represented by jockey agent and mentor, Angel Cordero Jr., became the second leading rider in Saratoga history when he rode his 650th winner, surpassing Cordero now third with 649. Jerry Bailey is Saratoga’s all-time leader with 693.
If Velazquez remains healthy, he can surpass Bailey next year, having ridden 54 winners, two more than Javier Castellano who rode at Parx in Philadelphia on the final day of the meet. Interestingly, Castellano had a mount at Parx for Pletcher, Velazquez’s top client.
Bug Boys Need Not Apply
With the exceptions of Steve Cauthen, Richard Migliore and possibly even Wesley Ward, Saratoga never has been particularly hospitable to apprentices. It could be that many of the trainers who ship from other regions are unfamiliar with their current skill level of the inexperienced riders or winning is so important that horsemen want a leading rider veteran type.
But apprentices Ryan Curatolo and Irad Ortiz Jr. did relatively well this summer. Curatola is patient, with good hands and a sense of timing. Ortiz, however, is the more instinctive race rider with great natural ability.
Of greater import, I am told that both young men have the proper attitude. Hopefully, that trait will not disappear as their successes increase, an occupational hazard for all who make their living on horseback.
There are no automatics for any equine wishing to wear the mantel of “Horse of the 2011 Saratoga Race Meet.” Consider those listed, in alphabetical order:
Ask The Moon Was the meet’s only dual Grade 1 winner, heroine of the Ruffian and Personal Ensign. But she didn't have to face either Blind Luck or Harve De Grace.
Caleb's Posse Only the third horse in history to sweep both graded sprint stakes for three-year-olds, the Grade 2 Amsterdam and G1 King‘s Bishop.
Harve De Grace Became the second filly in three years and only the second female in history to win the Woodward Stakes, became a serious Horse of the Year contender.
Jackson Bend Was a dual winner at the meet, taking the sure-to-be-graded-someday James Marvin and the G1 Forego, establishing himself as the one the country’s leading sprinter/milers.
Stay Thirsty Added the storied G1 Travers to his dominating G2 Jim Dandy score to become the country’s leading three-year-old and possible Horse of the Year contender.
Tizway Answered to the nine furlong question with authority by adding Saratoga’s signature event for older horses, the Whitney, to his dominating win in the Met Mile thereby becoming a leading Horse of the Horse of the Year candidate.
Uncle Mo Fans can now answer “will we ever see him race again?” in the affirmative via a winning effort but head-bobbing nose defeat to Caleb’s Posse in the G1 King’s Bishop, no easy return spot coming off a near five-month layup.
Four-Headed Monsters Michael Dubb, the late Carl Lizza, Mike Repole and Team Valor for organizing and managing their runners in such a fashion as to dominate their peers with quality, quantity, or both.
Food For Thought It may not qualify as the quote of the meet, but at a stand where juvenile racing is a point of emphasis came this from Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard following a victory on closing day by Emerald Beech is the G3 Glens Falls Stakes:
“It takes me a while to figure them out. My training style is to have horses do well when they get older. A lot of other horses get burned out. They go into the Triple Crown and get burned out. That’s not my style. I love horses, and I try to treat them right.”
07 Sep 2011 at 04:58 pm | #
Preeeeeaaaaaaaccchhhhhhhh,
Another nice job with the Saratoga Diary. Enjoyed reading about the game we love all summer long. IF only the sport had more of you, the game would be in better shape. STAY THIRSTY my friend.
I couldn’t make it up to Saratoga this year, but heard from friends that the old saying of getting off the Thruway and going back 100 years still rings true. Where did the summer go? It went by too fast again. Heard they played Frankie from the loudspeakers after the last race so I’ll leave with that.
The summer wind, came blowin’ in from across the sea
It lingered there to touch your hair and walk with me
All summer long we sang a song and then we strolled that golden sand
Two sweethearts and the summer wind
Like painted kites, those days and nights, they went flyin’ by
The world was new beneath a blue umbrella sky
Then softer than a piper man one day it called to you
I lost you, I lost you to the summer wind
The autumn wind and the winter winds, they have come and gone
And still the days, those lonely days, they go on and on
And guess who sighs his lullabies through nights that never end
My fickle friend, the summer wind
The summer wind
Warm summer wind
Mmm, the summer wind ...
08 Sep 2011 at 08:12 am | #
Goer,
Can’t believe you made the Bond obervations you did. He’s a focal point for tmorrow’s post. Not specifically, but indirectly; you’ll see what I mean.
Totally agree about Sheppard. Will talk about Team Cugini for Saturday, which was also in the pipeline. You’re locked in, Goer.
Since misery loves company. Ask The Moon busted me out of several pools as well. Used her nowhere, which probably was a big sophomoric, but her Ruffian was, as you stated, totally underwhelming.
Cat,
Thanks for the kind words, that’s kind kind of thing we try to achieve. Sometimes the words are harsh; sometimes not. But it’s much easier, believe me, to show the game some love. Don’t know what I’d be doing otherwise. I feel blessed, blessed like Zito.
If the suits don’t beat me down and wear me out, I fully intend to Stay Thirsty.
It’s highy unlikely that you’ll lose me to our fickle friend, the summer wind; I live for it.
However, because of “The Pope of Greenwich Village,” I always associate the “Summer Wind” more closely with Monmouth Park. Recent bad news from there; hope the issues can be solved.
JP