Prat gets off to a quick start at Keeneland
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Jockey Flavien Prat wasted absolutely no time making his impact felt as a first-time regular at Keeneland. The 29-year-old Frenchman has jumped out to the early lead atop the spring-meet jockey standings with seven wins, one more than Irad Ortiz Jr. Prat won not only the Blue Grass on Zandon, but also the Grade 1 Madison on Just One Time and the Grade 3 Beaumont with Matareya.
Prat has been the dominant rider in recent years in Southern California but no longer will be based there. After Derby week at Churchill, he is moving his tack to New York. His agent, Brad Pegram, has accompanied Prat during this time of transition and will continue to work for him when eventually returning home to California.
Record handle to open meet
All-sources handle Saturday totaled $28,137,728, easily a Keeneland record for a non-Breeders’ Cup card. The former record was $25.8 million, set on Blue Grass Day 2019.
A handle record also was set for opening weekend with nearly $60.2 million bet on the first three cards. That’s 36 percent higher than in 2019 ($44.2 million). There was no April meet in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic, and opening weekend in 2021 consisted of just two days because Easter was that Sunday.
Two Grade 1 races remain
Smooth Like Strait, with Umberto Rispoli riding in his first day at the meet, heads a field of 11 entered in the $600,000 Maker’s Mark Mile, to be run Friday as the ninth of 10 races. The Maker’s Mark and the $500,000 Jenny Wiley, which will be co-featured Saturday with the Grade 3 Lexington Stakes, are the last of five Grade 1 races at a meet that runs through April 29.
In Due Time and Major General are among the 3-year-olds expected for the Lexington, for which entries will be drawn Wednesday. The 1 1/16-mile Lexington is the last points qualifier (20-8-4-2) for the Derby.
Epicenter has first work back
Epicenter, the Derby favorite on most early projections, had his first work since winning the Louisiana Derby on March 26 when breezing five furlongs in 1:01 before dawn Sunday at Churchill. Exercise rider Wilson Fabian was up.
:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures
“He’s a wonderful individual,” trainer Steve Asmussen said. “He’s done well in his development and continues to improve as the races get longer.”
◗ Juju’s Map, winner of the Grade 1 Alcibiades and runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last fall, is “almost ready” for her 3-year-old debut, trainer Brad Cox said. Juju’s Map now has had five timed workouts since early March after breezing five furlongs in 1:01.20 on Saturday at Churchill.
◗ David Cohen is headed to Churchill after leaving Oaklawn Park, where he currently is tied for sixth in the jockey standings. Doug Bredar will be Cohen’s agent while also continuing to work for Florent Geroux.