OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jockey Manny Franco has ended his working relationship with agent Angel Cordero Jr. and has hired Jon Panagot to represent him. Franco and Cordero had worked together since the summer of 2015. Panagot will start working for Franco after the current condition book ends Feb. 6. Franco, 27, led all riders in wins on the New York Racing Association circuit in 2019 and 2020 and was third, just two wins behind Irad Ortiz Jr., in 2021. Franco ranked third in purse money on the NYRA circuit in 2021 with $13.859 million. Nationally, in 2021, Franco ranked 20th in wins with 184 and 10th in purse money won with $14,043,066. Though Franco won 20 stakes in 2021 – the same number he won in 2020 – only two were graded, topped by the Grade 1 Diana aboard Althiqa. In 2020, Franco won 11 graded stakes, including the Belmont, Travers, and Florida Derby aboard Tiz the Law and two Grade 1s on Channel Maker. :: Want the best bonus in racing? Get a $250 deposit match, $10 free bet, and free Formulator with DRF Bets. Code: WINNING Franco currently is tied for fourth at the Aqueduct winter meet with 13 wins from 94 mounts. “I just want to give myself a chance to do a little bit better,” Franco said Tuesday. “I don’t have anything against Angel. Angel’s a great guy, a great person, and was a great mentor for me and he helped me a lot in my career. We had so many big moments together.” Cordero, a Hall of Fame jockey, was the longtime agent for John Velazquez before the two split in 2020. Cordero does still represent Jose Gomez, who recently won his fifth career race to become a seven-pound apprentice.