LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Jockey Flavien Prat’s lone victory in the Kentucky Derby didn’t come with the typical fanfare associated with such an achievement. In 2019, Prat was the rider of Country House, who crossed the wire second, 1 3/4 lengths behind Maximum Security. After a 22-minute inquiry, the stewards disqualified Maximum Security from first for interference and Country House was elevated to first. “It’s a hard way to win,” Prat said recently on the Churchill Downs backside. “I’m pretty sure it’s not the same feeling as crossing the line first, that’s for sure.” Last year was another instance in which Prat finished one place lower than he ultimately ended up. Prat rode Hot Rod Charlie to a third-place finish, one length behind Medina Spirit. Following the disqualification of Medina Spirit from first due to a medication violation, Hot Rod Charlie is now recognized as the second-place finisher. Saturday, Prat will have his fifth Kentucky Derby mount, riding Zandon in the 148th Run for the Roses at Churchill Downs. Zandon earned morning-line favoritism over Louisiana Derby winner Epicenter in part by the manner in which he rallied from last to win the Blue Grass Stakes four weeks ago. It was the first time Prat had ridden the son of Upstart, trained by Chad Brown. “I thought he had a lot to overcome because it was a slow pace and we were pretty far from the lead,” Prat said. “Obviously, the race developed well from the three-eighths pole. Still, with a slow pace and to make up so much ground and finish the way he finished, I thought it was really impressive.” Zandon has trained impressively since the Blue Grass. Prat’s only concern is that forwardly placed runners have had the most success recently in the Kentucky Derby. “I think the talent is there, the potential to win the race is there. It’s just his running style. I don’t know if he fits the way the race has been [won] the last few years,” Prat said. “As far as talent and potential, he’s definitely capable.” In the Derby, Prat has proven that he is more than capable. Overshadowed by the circumstances of the 2019 Kentucky Derby result was Prat’s ride on Country House, a 65-1 shot who became the second-longest priced winner in the history of the race. Breaking from post 18 in the 19-horse field, Prat had Country House in ninth place under the wire the first time. Entering the first turn, he was three paths off the rail and was within five lengths of the lead after six furlongs. Prat made a nifty move between horses to further gain contention and was within a neck of the lead at the quarter pole before being outfinished by Maximum Security. “It made a huge difference,” Bill Mott, trainer of Country House, said of Prat’s ride. “He deserves a lot of credit.” In addition to Country House and Hot Rod Charlie, Prat rode 40-1 Battle of Midway to a third-place finish in the 2017 Derby and 62-1 Solomini to a 10th-place finish in 2018. In that race, Solomini was last, 21 lengths back at one point, and rallied past half the field to finish 10th, 11 lengths behind Justify. Saturday, Prat and Brown will look to continue what has been an extremely successful partnership over the past few years. From 58 starts, Prat has won 17 races for Brown. They’ve teamed to win 10 stakes, seven of which were Grade 1s. :: DRF has you covered! Get everything you need to win big on Derby Day with a Kentucky Derby Package and get up to 41% off retail price. In the Blue Grass, Prat became the fourth rider in as many starts to get on Zandon. Joel Rosario, John Velazquez, and Jose Ortiz had ridden the horse previously, but for various reasons none could stick with him. Brown tabbed Prat and credited the 29-year-old Frenchman with showing “a lot of poise and patience” in the Blue Grass, a race in which Zandon was last down the backside. “He believed he was on a horse good enough to make certain quick moves when the opportunity came up, which it did once they passed the three-eighths marker,” Brown said. “He had a lot of horse under him and he made the right moves, picking the right paths for the horse. I was very appreciative of his effort. I was appreciative of Zandon’s skill and bravery.” The Brown-Prat bond figures to get stronger in the coming months. Following the Derby, Prat, the dominant rider in Southern California the last few years, will ride in New York from Sunday through the fall. He started his New York stint last Sunday, winning with two of his three mounts at Belmont Park. “Last year I spent half of my year on the East Coast,” said Prat, who brought his California-based agent Brad Pegram with him. “I knew I could get some support, and as far as myself, if I want to move it was now or never. “I have two kids, they’re young” – daughter Elana is 3, son Lenny is 6 months. “Four or five years later, I think it would have been too late, so if I want to give it a try I think the time is now.”