Opening-day success validates Velazquez's decision to move west
ARCADIA, Calif. – Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has relocated to Santa Anita for the winter-spring meeting for the first time and plans to stay through the end of March. Judging from the first two days of the season, the 50-year-old Velazquez could very well depart for Keeneland in early April at or near the top of the standings.
Velazquez had four wins on Sunday’s opening day, including the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies, and had one win on Monday’s program. Velazquez is booked to ride five horses on Friday’s nine-race program.
Last winter, Velazquez rode primarily at Gulfstream Park, and sparingly at that, with trips to other venues for major stakes. This year, the format will be similar with Santa Anita as a base.
“Most of the time I’ll be here,” Velazquez said last weekend. “There will be a little back and forth from here to Florida. Hopefully things work out.”
The meeting certainly has started out well for him. Kalypso was an 8-1 winner of the $301,000 La Brea in her first start since a last-place finish of 12 in the Grade 2 Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs in May. A three-time stakes winner, Kalypso stalked the pace for the first half-mile of the seven-furlong La Brea Stakes and pulled clear to win by 4 3/4 lengths.
“She was impressive,” Velazquez said. “She was a nice surprise. She was going well the whole way around. When I asked her to run, she gave me more.”
Also on Sunday, Velazquez was second in the Grade 1 American Oaks on Nicest and third in the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes on Eight Rings.
“Even the ones that didn’t win ran well,” Velazquez said.
Velazquez began the meet with a win on Blackadder, a 2-year-old colt bought for $620,000 as a yearling who won a maiden special weight at a mile on the main track for trainer Bob Baffert.
“He has a lot of talent and that’s what we were expecting of him,” Velazquez said.
Velazquez’s most intriguing winner on Sunday was Shaaz, a 3-year-old colt by Uncle Mo who won a maiden special weight race at 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.11 in his debut, earning a remarkable Beyer Speed Figure of 105. Shaaz was purchased for an auction-leading $1.1 million at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midatlantic sale in Maryland.
Trained by Baffert, Shaaz finished a half-length in front of stablemate Hopkins, who set the pace and was caught late. Hopkins, a first-time starter purchased for $900,000 as a yearling, earned a 104 Beyer.
Velazquez is closely allied at Santa Anita with Baffert. Of his five wins on Sunday and Monday, three were for Baffert. On Friday’s card, Velazquez has four mounts for Baffert.
Velazquez is expected to rank high in the jockey standings at the meet along with perennial leader Flavien Prat as well as Abel Cedillo, Juan Hernandez, and Umberto Rispoli.
Velazquez is represented by Ron Anderson, who also books mounts for Joel Rosario. In the last few winters, Rosario has ridden the early months of the year at Santa Anita with success.
Last year, Rosario had 29 wins in the first three months of the Santa Anita meeting, leaving him fifth in the standings. At the 2019-2020 meeting, Rosario was third with 36 wins through the end of March before leaving for Keeneland. Though sidelined with a rib injury, Rosario is scheduled to ride primarily at Oaklawn Park in early 2022.