Alsagoor rides high on Saturday, hits turf on Sunday

ARCADIA, Calif. – Kentucky Derby Day 2023 will be easy to remember for Abdul Alsagoor.

For the first time in his career, the apprentice jockey had a three-win day at Santa Anita.

“I hoped I would have a good day and I proved it,” Alsagoor said late Saturday afternoon. “It’s wonderful to get the right opportunities. The trainers had faith in me.”

Sunday did not end as well. Alsagoor was unseated from Ko Samui approaching the first turn of a one-mile grass race after the gelding clipped heels while racing in tight quarters. Alsagoor rose to his feet, and after spending a moment with a member of ambulance staff, walked to the ambulance.

Alsagoor was cleared by the track’s first aid department and advised by a doctor to rest, according to his agent, Vince DeGregory.

“He was body sore,” DeGregory said Monday. “He’ll be back to riding in three or four days. The doctor said to take a few days off.”

Ko Samui ran loose before he was caught by an outrider.

On Saturday, Alsagoor won races for Phil D’Amato, Ron Ellis, and Peter Miller.

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Alsagoor’s third win of the day, for Ellis on Sawasdee in a $20,000 claimer for nonwinners of three, was slightly out of the ordinary. Sawasdee set rapid fractions of 21.61 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 43.95 for a half-mile, leading by eight lengths with a furlong remaining.

Alsagoor relaxed on Sawasdee in the final furlong, which reduced the winning margin to 4 1/4 lengths. A quick peek at the massive infield television on the infield showed Alsagoor that he was comfortably in front as Sawsadee approached the wire.

“He got a little bit tired,” he said. “I looked at the screen. I was far enough in front. Why push my horse? I knew he was going to finish.”

Sawasdee was claimed in a four-way shake by trainer Kristin Mulhall.

Alsagoor, who was born in Saudi Arabia and briefly rode there, previously worked as an exercise rider for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert before he began riding in California in late 2020.

Alsagoor, 22, has won 28 races. His apprentice term ends in early summer. Through Sunday, Alsagoor had four wins at the spring portion of the Santa Anita meeting, which began April 14. He is the second-leading apprentice, trailing Armando Aguilar by a single win. Both are among the 10 leading riders at the meeting.

In the winter-spring portion of the current meeting from Dec. 26 through April 9, Alsagoor had 9 wins from 59 mounts.

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