Prat gets his Derby win, but in a most unusual way

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Flavien Prat was 23 in 2016 when he attended his first Kentucky Derby and watched Nyquist win.

Earlier that day, Prat won the Grade 1 Humana Distaff on Taris and was done for the afternoon by post time for the Kentucky Derby. In those days, Prat, who was born and raised in France, was more fascinated by the Breeders’ Cup series and its wide array of races than he was by the Kentucky Derby.

“As a European rider, for us it’s more about the Breeders’ Cup,” he said Sunday at Santa Anita.

“The first year I was in Kentucky I was in the grandstand for the Derby and it was amazing – the crowd and the atmosphere. After that day, it was an obsession to ride the Derby and eventually to win it.”

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Prat reached the milestone last Saturday when Country House was promoted from second to first following the disqualification of Maximum Security for interference on the turn. The victory for Prat, who began riding in the United States in 2009, was his first in an American classic. Country House was the first horse in the 145-year history of the race to be awarded the victory on a raceday disqualification.

“There is a lot of happiness because I won the Derby,” Prat said between races Sunday.

He quickly admitted the circumstances are difficult to grasp.

“It’s kind of awkward,” he said.

Prat, who started his career in France and has ridden in the United States on a full-time basis since late 2014, rode his third Kentucky Derby on Saturday. Prat was third on Battle of Midway in 2017, and 10th last year on Solomini. Prat gained the mount on 65-1 Country House on April 24 when trainer Bill Mott needed a rider.

Country House was racing well off the rail for the first seven furlongs of the Kentucky Derby when the field reached the turn. Nearing the quarter pole, Country House made contact with Long Range Toddy as part of a chain reaction when Maximum Security veered out.

“At that point of the race, I felt like I was pushed out and made contact,” Prat recalled. “At that part of the race, you’re trying to focus on getting the best out of your horse. It’s hard to judge how much it cost you.”

Country House was third in early stretch, second with a furlong remaining, and held second, 1 3/4 lengths behind Maximum Security.

As the field galloped out, Prat lodged an objection.

“I thought about what happened and that there was no inquiry,” he said. “I thought it was the right thing for all the connections of the horse to let the judges know something has happened and for them to look at it.

“It was out of my hands, and their decision.”

The stewards needed 22 minutes to change the order of finish.

Saturday evening, Prat had a night out with longtime riding colleagues and fellow Frenchmen Julien Leparoux and Florent Geroux, who rode the Kentucky Derby. Leparoux finished seventh on Master Fencer, while Florent Geroux finished 16th on Roadster.

All three have won world-class American races. Leparoux won the 2015 BC Mile on Tepin. Geroux won the 2017 BC Classic on Gun Runner.

Prat has won two Breeders’ Cup races, most recently the 2017 BC Dirt Mile on Battle of Midway.

Prat has developed a reputation as a leading rider in Southern California, with a growing presence throughout the United States. In 2018, his mounts earned $12.9 million, good enough for 10th in the nation. With his Kentucky Derby victory, Prat ranked fifth in the nation through Sunday with 2019 earnings of $6.6 million.

Staying in the top five will be difficult. California purses are lower than the purses at Churchill Downs or the New York tracks. Plus, Santa Anita is racing three days a week at least through May rather than the four or five days a week at most other major tracks, which affects Prat’s earnings power.

Despite the controversial decision, Prat is the winning rider of the Kentucky Derby, even if there was no triumphant return normally afforded the winner in the moments after the race. The lengthy film review by the stewards changed the tenor of the ceremony.

Sunday, Prat won here aboard the promising 3-year-old turf horse Gregorian Chant, a recent import from Ireland. He does not ride again until Friday, which gives him a chance to spend time with his wife, Manon, and their infant daughter, Elena.

Prat admits that getting back into his California routine will be welcome, while he attempts to avoid the Derby news and social-media posts on the race.

“I’m not going to check the social media for a week,” he said. “You should see all the people that are mad at me,” he added with a smile.

“I think after a week, once everything settles down, I’ll realize what has happened.”