Prat and Bejarano resume rivalry

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Flavien Prat spent most of September on a small tour of North American racetracks, riding at Kentucky Downs, Woodbine, and Presque Isle Downs. Rafael Bejarano spent part of that time on vacation before returning to race riding last weekend at Parx and Remington Park.

On Friday, they will be back in familiar territory, riding at Santa Anita on opening day of the autumn meeting. There is an excellent chance that they will have each other to beat through the 23-day season, which ends Nov. 6.

Bejarano won the Santa Anita spring-summer title by six wins, with Prat second. Bejarano and Prat tied for first at Del Mar in the summer, each winning 38 races.

For the next six weeks, Prat said his primary goal is gaining leading mounts for the Breeders’ Cup races here Nov. 4-5.

“I want to focus on the big races,” Prat said on a recent morning in the stables.

“I wish I could find some very good mounts for the Breeders’ Cup. If I can win the title, I won’t say no. It’s hard to win the title. You have to take care of a lot of business, and it’s not easy.”

Prat rode primarily at Kentucky Downs in September. His biggest win during the month was the Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf on The Pizza Man at Woodbine on Sept. 17.

“I saw different places, different racetracks,” he said.

Last year at this time, Prat’s only view was of a hospital room. He was sidelined last September after injuring his back in a spill at Los Alamitos and did not return to riding until Christmastime.

This Saturday, Bejarano and Prat have leading mounts in the five Grade 1 races at Santa Anita. Entries were to be finalized later on Wednesday, but Bejarano is expected to ride American Cleopatra in the Chandelier Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, Klimt in the FrontRunner Stakes for 2-year-olds, Vale Dori in the Zenyatta Stakes for fillies and mares, and Sobradora Inc in the Rodeo Drive Stakes for fillies and mares on turf.

Prat is scheduled to ride With Honors in the Chandelier, Avenge in the Rodeo Drive, and Straight Fire in the FrontRunner.