With many of his leading mounts retired, Smith will skip Breeders' Cup

Mike Smith, the all-time winningest rider in Breeders’ Cup history, is skipping the event this year.

Smith, 55, said Thursday that the absence of several leading horses he rode earlier this year from the Breeders’ Cup was a major factor in his decision to not travel to Keeneland for next Friday and Saturday. Instead, Smith will ride at Del Mar.

Smith was the regular rider of the 3-year-old Honor A. P., 5-year-old mare Midnight Bisou, and the 5-year-old horse McKinzie, all major stakes winners who have been retired in recent months.

“I was left not having anything,” Smith said. “I’ll be in Del Mar it looks like.”

Smith said he could have traveled to Keeneland to ride the promising colt Rombauer in Friday’s BC Juvenile, but has opted not to do so. Javier Castellano will ride Rombauer.

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“He would be my only mount,” he said. “You’ve got to give up so much for one mount.”

Smith will ride at Del Mar from Friday through Sunday next week on the second week of the track’s five-week autumn meeting.

“Hopefully, we can pick up some business,” he said. “I’ve got to regroup and get some live horses again.”

In a typical year, Smith travels extensively for major stakes, but has not been able to do so this year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Smith did not ride at Saratoga during the summer, for example.

“It cost me a lot of mounts,” he said.

Smith has won 26 Breeders’ Cup races, 10 more than John Velazquez who ranks second. Smith’s mounts have earned a record $36.6 million in Breeders’ Cup races, well clear of Velazquez who is second with $27.7 million.