Gabriel Saez gets comfortable in New York

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jockey Gabriel Saez has bounced around from circuit to circuit throughout his career. In some respects, it has paid off. He has ridden a champion in Proud Spell and a Kentucky Derby favorite in Friesan Fire.

But Saez, 28, would like to settle down on the New York Racing Association circuit. He hopes he has taken a step in that direction with the winter meet he has had at Aqueduct. Through Thursday, Saez has ridden 19 winners, putting him in a tie for eighth in the inner-track standings. His 167 mounts are the second-fewest for any rider in the top 10.

“It’s been super-great so far. I can’t complain,” Saez said Friday morning after working a couple of horses at Belmont. “It’s been tough. I don’t want to say it’s been easy. You got a lot of competition, and you got a lot of good riders.”

Saez has ridden in New York before. During the winter of 2009-10, he rode 23 winners from 190 mounts. He left New York to go back to Delaware Park, where his main client, Larry Jones, was based. Eventually, Jones and Saez parted ways. Saez spent the next three winters at Gulfstream and the summers at Monmouth Park.

But Saez now is in a New York state of mind.

“I like it a lot,” said Saez, whose agent is the former Eclipse Award-winning owner Richard Englander. “I like the people I’m working with, the people I’ve been riding for, and the competition. I can’t wait to keep going forward, and I look forward to going to Saratoga.”

Before Saratoga, there will be the Aqueduct spring meet and then Belmont, where the competition really gets tough when Javier Castellano, Joel Rosario, Jose Lezcano, Luis Saez, and John Velazquez return from Florida.

“I love riding with guys like Johnny, Castellano, and Rosario. They’re the top riders; they’re going to ride you a smart race,” Gabriel Saez said. “They’re good riders, and for you to be good, you got to compete with them and ride with them. That’s what I’m looking forward to – sticking around New York and seeing if I can get another chance to get on the right horse.”

When Saez rode for Jones, he rode Proud Spell, the 3-year-old champion filly of 2008, and Friesan Fire, the Derby favorite in 2009. He also rode the ill-fated Eight Belles, who suffered a fatal breakdown while galloping out after finishing second in the 2008 Kentucky Derby.

Saez is hoping to find a horse of that caliber and hopes to ride for a few of the top New York trainers this summer. This winter, his 19 wins have come for 11 trainers, including Gary Sciacca (four wins), Greg DiPrima (three), Joe Imperio, Carlos Martin, and John Toscano (two each).

“He’s a hard-trying rider. I like his worth ethic,” Martin said. “Every time you need him, he’s right there on time; there’s something to be said for that. Good hands. I haven’t ridden him that much, but he’s always given me an honest ride. He’s got the talent. You need the horses.”

Saez said one horse he rode for Martin whom he really liked was Tapa Liath, a 3-year-old New York-bred filly who won on dirt at first asking. Both Saez and Martin believe she will be better on turf.

“The way she was working before the race, it was really impressive,” Saez said. “I’m glad I won on her first time out. I can’t wait until we come to Belmont and run on the grass.”