First Constitution gives Jose Lezcano win No. 3,000 with victory in Flat Out Stakes
Jockey Jose Lezcano reached 3,000 career wins Friday, when he guided First Constitution to a four-length victory over Portos in the $100,000 Flat Out at a wet Belmont Park. It was another six and a half lengths back in third to Locally Owned.
The Flat Out was a 1 3/8 miles race for 4-year-olds and up. It was run over a sloppy, sealed track.
Lezcano was winning his fourth race on the card aboard First Constitution ($4.10). The pair jumped out to the lead at the start, and proceeded to take the field through fractions of 24.65 seconds for the opening quarter, 49.09 for the half-mile, 1:13.52 for six furlongs and 1:38.41 for the mile. Locally Owned made a run at the leader first, followed by Portos, but First Constitution had more and went on to cover the distance in 2:18.97.
“I wanted to break good and put him in the bridle early,” Lezcano told the publicity department for the New York Racing Association. “I sent him a little bit out of the gate and he jumped in the bridle so quick. When I grabbed a little bit, he dropped his head and relaxed a little and gave me a good race.”
Todd Pletcher trains First Constitution for the partnership of Don Alberto Stable, WinStar Farm and Twin Creeks Racing Stable. The horse is a son of Constitution who was bred in Chili by Haras Don Alberto. He has now won 5 of 11 starts for earnings of $241,019.
Lezcano also won the card’s first race with Royal Realm ($3.10), the fifth with High Tide ($6.60) and the seventh with Mexican Wonder Boy ($4.60).
Lezcano’s first win came on March 14, 2004 at Gulfstream Park, according to records from Daily Racing Form. He’s now won 3,000 races from 17,613 starts for mount earnings of $164 million.
“I'm very thankful for the trainers and owners who give me the chance to ride these nice horses and win all these races,” Lezcano told NYRA. “It's very special to win it with Todd and for him to give me a nice horse like that. To win my 3,000th race in a race like this is nice."
Lezcano has ridden a long list of notable horses, and has won Breeders’ Cup races with Wise Dan and Royal Delta.
“I rode Royal Delta and she was a wonderful filly,” Lezcano told NYRA. “Bill Mott gave me the opportunity to ride such a nice horse like her and plenty of other nice horses like To Honor and Serve. Other trainers gave me big chances on good horses, too. Charlie LoPresti gave me the chance to ride Wise Dan – he was one of the top horses for a couple years. It feels very nice to ride these kinds of horses.”
Other horses he has won Grade 1 races aboard include Einstein, Ice Box, To Honor and Serve, Ron the Greek, Point of Entry, Laughing and Mr Speaker.