Hot week has Velazquez rising in Gulfstream standings

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has been on an amazing roll this week, having won with seven of the first eight mounts he accepted during a three-day period that began when racing resumed on Wednesday. His lone loss during that span came aboard One Liner, who finished third behind Conquest Windycity and Mind Your Biscuits in Friday’s main event.

Velazquez won with his only mount, the 15-1 Hazana for trainer Michael Matz, on Wednesday, then came back to go a perfect 2 for 2 with Battle of Blenheim and Little Bridge on Thursday. That was just a preliminary for Friday’s performance. Velazquez posted a four bagger (with one mount left at press time), his hot streak vaulting him into sixth place in the standings with 33 wins from just 132 mounts, a 25 percent success rate for the meet, tops among all regular riders here this winter.