Bravo to ride on East Coast between Santa Anita and Del Mar meets
Jockey Joe Bravo plans to ride at Monmouth Park and other Eastern tracks during the month-long gap between the conclusion of the Santa Anita meeting on June 19 and the start of the Del Mar summer season on July 22.
On Friday, Bravo described the forthcoming trip as a “working vacation,” and a temporary departure from Southern California.
“I’ll definitely be there for the start of Del Mar,” he said.
Bravo said he is not interested in riding at the three-week Los Alamitos meeting, which runs from June 24 to July 10, and hopes to be active in major races on the East Coast on Fourth of July weekend.
“That time of year, there are a lot of big stakes on the East Coast,” he said. “I can see some people. I can stay fit and keep my timing. Being off for that long is not good for your body.”
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Bravo, 50, moved from New Jersey to California last June. A leading rider at Monmouth Park 13 times, Bravo cited tough New Jersey whip rules as a reason for his relocation at the time. Last year, the New Jersey Racing Commission enacted a rule dictating that whips could be used only to prevent an accident or dangerous situation. Jockeys were prohibited from using whips to encourage a horse.
In April, the New Jersey commission altered whip rules to mirror a national policy that will take effect on July 1 through the federal Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority. The HISA regulations limit riders to using the whip six times, but not more than twice consecutively without allowing their mount to respond.
The New Jersey Racing Commission put those rules in effect for the start of the Monmouth Park season earlier this month.
“They changed it back and that says a lot about what they threw in everyone’s lap last year,” Bravo said.
Last year, Bravo rode at Delaware Park, Parx Racing and Thistledown in late June and early July before the start of the Del Mar summer season.
Since arriving in California last summer, Bravo has won 52 races. Through Thursday, Bravo ranked 10th in the standings at the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting with 22 wins. Last summer at Del Mar, Bravo finished fifth in the standings with 21 wins.