Five riders in scrum for meet title

For a nine-race program without an allowance race or stakes, there is an underlying importance to Friday’s action at Santa Anita.

With only six days of racing remaining before the track’s six-week fall meeting ends on Nov. 1, there is a tight race between four jockeys for the riding title.

Days such as Friday will play an important role in the final standings since the first five riders in the rankings – Juan Hernandez, Emisael Jaramillo, Joel Rosario, Kazushi Kimura, and Umberto Rispoli – will be absent on Oct. 30-31 to ride the Breeders’ Cup programs at Keeneland.

Through Sunday, the most recent day of racing, Hernandez led the list with 15 wins, one more than Jaramillo and Rosario. Kimura ranked fourth with 13 wins, four more than Rispoli.

On Friday, Rispoli is riding at Belmont Park. He will return to Santa Anita to ride on Saturday and Sunday.

The first four riders in the standings are in action Friday and have between three and seven mounts on the program.

Rosario will be the busiest with seven rides, including contenders such as Mighty Toro in the first race for maiden claimers on turf and Issa Court in the ninth race, a conditioned claimer for fillies and mares at six furlongs on turf.

Rosario needs a big day on Friday to maintain his position in the standings. He is booked to ride at Keeneland on Saturday before returning to Santa Anita for Sunday’s program.

On Friday, Jaramillo’s four mounts include the stakes winner Sammy Davis in a $30,000 claimer on turf. Kimura’s leading chance is Twilight Time in the fourth race, a $12,500 claimer at six furlongs.

Sammy Davis won the Graduation Stakes for statebred 2-year-olds at Del Mar in August 2025 but is winless in his last eight races.

Hernandez has three mounts Friday, including top contender Burning Rubber in the third race, a $30,000 claimer on turf that includes Sammy Davis; and Winika in the fifth race, a starter allowance at 6 1/2 furlongs on the flat turf course. Winika has won her last two starts for trainer Jeff Mullins.

All five of the leading riders are booked at Keeneland on Oct. 30-31. With the exception of Jaramillo, who may ride in Venezuela on Nov. 1, they are all expected back for Santa Anita’s closing day.

The narrow difference among the first four riders in the current standings is a change from the Del Mar summer meeting. Rosario won the title with 42 wins, five more than Hernandez. Antonio Fresu, who has since relocated to Belmont Park, was third with 32 wins, followed by Rispoli (27), Jaramillo (25), and Kimura (23) in the first six.

◗ The $85,000 Anoakia Stakes, for 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs, was offered for Friday’s program but failed to draw sufficient entries. The race did not fill last Sunday. It was offered again for Saturday’s program this weekend, but only drew three entries and has been canceled.