Cordero has new rising star
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – For the first time in more than two decades, Angel Cordero Jr. won’t be rooting for his protégé John Velazquez to win the Kentucky Derby.
Arguably the most accomplished agent-jockey tandem in racing history, Cordero and Velazquez split up earlier this year after 22 years together. Cordero believes the split came at least in part because he fought hard for the connections of Tiz the Law to keep his other client, Manny Franco, on the horse when other riders were inquiring about replacing him following the horse’s only loss last fall.
:: Become a DRF Bets member and get DRF's Kentucky Derby VIP Package for free
Velazquez denies that he ever sought the mount on Tiz the Law – expected to be the heavy favorite in Saturday’s 146th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs – and said the split was due to other reasons he chose not to disclose.
“That had nothing to do with it, I’ll leave it at that,” said Velazquez, who has been represented by agent Ron Anderson since March.
Cordero, the 77-year-old Hall of Fame jockey and a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, believes Velazquez expressed an interest in riding Tiz the Law in January after working him one morning at Palm Meadows. Cordero had asked Velazquez to work him for Franco, who had to remain in New York to attend jury duty.
“He got off the horse and told the owner, ‘I’d like to ride him,’ ” Cordero said.
Velazquez said the only thing he told Jack Knowlton, manager of Sackatoga Stable ,which owns Tiz the Law, was: “If something happens, I’m here.”
“That’s the only thing I said,” Velazquez said. “I didn’t say anything else.”
Many agents expressed an interest in riding Tiz the Law after he finished a close third, with trouble, in the Kentucky Jockey Club last Nov. 30 at Churchill. Franco had picked up the mount on Tiz the Law for the Grade 1 Champagne because Junior Alvarado, aboard for the colt’s maiden win, was committed to ride stakes winner Green Light Go in the Champagne.
Barclay Tagg, trainer of Tiz the Law, said he chose Franco because he thought he would stay with the horse and not jump ship if something went awry. He wanted to show that same loyalty.
Plus, Tagg didn’t think Franco rode a bad race in the Kentucky Jockey Club, run over a wet track.
“Manny saw his faults – if there were really faults – in that bad race and that helped him know him better,” Tagg said. “If you keep putting a different jock on him every time you lose a race, you never know if anybody will ever get used to the horse and get him going right.”
Franco certainly has Tiz the Law going right heading into the Derby. Franco has gone 4 for 4 on Tiz the Law this year, with victories in the Holy Bull Stakes, Florida Derby, Belmont Stakes and, most recently, the Runhappy Travers Stakes.
“Manny stuck with him and we stuck with Manny, and I’m glad we did,” Tagg said. “We did have a little bit of controversy and it didn’t last long.”
Knowlton said that he left the jockey decision to Tagg.
“Barclay, to his credit, said, ‘Let’s stick with Manny,’ ” Knowlton said. “I’m really happy where we are. I think he’s grown up with the horse.”
Franco, 25, was the New York Racing Association’s leading rider in wins in 2018-19. Last year, he captured his first Breeders’ Cup victory when he won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf aboard Sharing. Cordero began booking mounts for Franco in the summer of 2016.
“I’m just happy to have him on my side,” Franco said of Cordero. “He’s been in this position before. He always talks to me about to handle this time, and I’m just blessed to have him in my corner.”
Franco is 0 for 2 in the Kentucky Derby, having ridden longshots Tencendur (17th in 2015) and Spinoff (18th in 2019).
Cordero had been the agent for Velazquez since 1998. During that time, and with the advantage of being the go-to rider for trainer Todd Pletcher, Velazquez has carved out a Hall of Fame career.
Velazquez, 48, is the leading rider in purse money won ($420 million), has won more graded stakes races than anybody else, and ranks 15th all-time in wins (6,227). He has won the Kentucky Derby twice and has 16 Breeders’ Cup victories, second only to Mike Smith.
Cordero and Velazquez were more than working partners. The two often have described their relationship akin to that of a father and son. That’s why it is surprising the two haven’t spoken in months.
“I haven’t seen Johnny since I got fired,” Cordero said. “He’s like my son. He lived with me for a long time, we were together for 30 years, and we accomplished everything. He’s the leading money earner, he’s the leading stakes winner, and he has a whole bunch of titles in Saratoga. He won two Derbies, he won two Eclipse Awards. I mean how high could you get? I’m sad that I’m not working for him, but it’s like people say, [stuff] happens.”
Velazquez acknowledged he hasn’t had contact with Cordero since the two split. Velazquez said the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a health issue involving one of his family members has kept him home when he’s not riding.
“I probably should be the one to reach out to him, but he’s [like] my father, he’s supposed to be reaching out to me,” Velazquez said. “Since COVID-19, I haven’t gone anywhere. I go from [work] to my house and don’t see anybody. I haven’t seen him, so I haven’t been able to talk to him person to person. Once I see him person to person, I definitely will talk to him.”
Cordero said he holds no ill will toward Velazquez.
“I don’t have anything against him, I wish him the best,” Cordero said. “I’m proud of what we accomplished.”
:: KENTUCKY DERBY 2020: Derby Watch, point standings, prep schedule, news, and more
Cordero and Velazquez are focusing on other things this week. Velazquez will ride probable favorite Gamine in Friday’s Kentucky Oaks and Authentic in the Kentucky Derby, both trained by Bob Baffert. This will be Velazquez’s 22nd Derby mount.
Cordero is hoping Tiz the Law wins the Kentucky Derby – and maybe the Triple Crown – and becomes the horse the 25-year-old Franco needs to elevate his career.
“When you get horses like that, they could take you to the top,” Cordero said.
Both as a rider and an agent, Cordero has been to the top. He likes the view.
