Prado passes Cordero with win No. 7,058

Hall of Fame jockey Edgar Prado achieved another milestone in his riding career when he surpassed Angel Cordero Jr. to take over sole possession of eighth place in the all-time jockey standings by guiding 2-year-old first-time starter Flying Aletha to an easy victory for trainer Wesley Ward in Thursday’s second race.

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Flying Aletha gave the 52-year-old Prado the 7,058th victory of his career. He is now just eight victories behind Perry Ouzts, who also is still active, for the seventh spot on the all-time list.

“I’m very excited,” Prado told the Gulfstream Park press office after the race. “After the recent setback with the quarantine and the coronavirus, I’m glad to be back and riding again and extremely excited to pass a legend like Cordero.”

Prado, who was not originally named on Flying Aletha, picked up the mount after scratch time and the announcement that the five-furlong race for juvenile fillies had been transferred from the turf to the main track. Flying Aletha, a daughter of Tiznow, went right to the front along the inside and readily drew away from a stablemate, the 2-5 favorite Lime, through the final furlong to win by 5 1/2 lengths.

“The plan was to let [Lime] go to the lead and follow her, but when my horse broke so good, going five furlongs and with an inside post, I didn’t even think about it,” Prado said. “I just let her go. She was very comfortable, and when I asked her she responded.”

Ward said he was very happy that Prado achieved the milestone aboard one of his horses.

“I rode with him here at Calder in 1987, when he first came to this country,” Ward said.

Prado first arrived in the United States from his native Peru in 1986 and rode his first winner, Single Love, at Calder on June 1, 1986.