Franco on top of jockey standings as Belmont-at-Aqueduct meet concludes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Manny Franco was the leading rider at the Belmont at Aqueduct spring/summer meet that concluded Sunday.

Franco won 41 races, four more than Irad Ortiz Jr. and seven more than Flavien Prat. The stats include the four-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival held at Saratoga (June 6-9) for a total of 35 racing days.

It was Franco’s 11th individual meet title on the New York Racing Association circuit, but first in what is basically the Belmont Park spring meet. He won the regular Aqueduct spring meet title as well.

“It’s really important, we’re here in New York, riding with the best jockeys in the country and the opportunity to be leading rider is just amazing,” Franco said.

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Seven of Franco’s wins - including Sunday’s Hudson Valley Stakes aboard Spirit of St Louis - came for Chad Brown, who finished as the meet’s leading trainer with 32 wins, 10 more than Linda Rice. Christophe Clement was third with 17 wins.

Brown had won seven straight Belmont spring titles (2016-22) before Rice captured last year’s title.

Seth Klarman, one of Brown’s biggest clients and who races under the Klaravich Stables banner, finished as the leading owner with 14 wins, two more than Michael Dubb. Rice tied for third for wins by owner with eight along with Sanford Goldfarb.

Racing on this circuit moves to Saratoga beginning Thursday.

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