Prat, Rosario to represent California in Saudi Arabia

California-based jockeys Flavien Prat and Joel Rosario have mounts in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, and will not ride at Santa Anita this weekend.

Through Thursday, Prat was tied for the lead in the standings at Santa Anita with Juan Hernandez with 32 wins. Rosario was tied for eighth with 9 wins.

In the Saudi Cup, Prat rides National Treasure, the winner of the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 27 for trainer Bob Baffert, while Rosario rides Isolate, a former runner for Tom Amoss in the United States who won the Group 2 Al Maktoum Mile at Meydan Racecourse in the United Arab Emirates on Dec. 22. Isolate is trained by Doug Watson.

:: Access morning workout reports straight from the tracks and get an edge with DRF Clocker Reports

Rosario is suspended on Sunday because he rode in a stakes in New Mexico last Sunday while in the midst of a three-day suspension for a riding infraction on Feb. 10, Santa Anita stewards wrote in a ruling last weekend. The original suspension covered racing days on Sunday, Monday and Friday.

Rosario rode two stakes at Sunland Park last Sunday, which was allowed since those races are exempt from routine suspensions. Because he rode out-of-state, however, Rosario must serve an additional day of suspension.

Hernandez and Santiago Gonzalez while also serve one-day suspensions on Sunday for whip violations incurred in races last Saturday. Both riders were fined $250 and cited for excessive use of the whip. Jockeys are allowed to strike a horse six times. Gonzalez was cited for using his whip seven times, while Hernandez was penalized for using his whip eight times.

Jockeys Kyle Frey and Diego Herrera will serve three-day suspensions in coming days for causing interference earlier this month.

Herrera was cited for crossing in front of a rival without clearance aboard Zzyzx in the third race on Feb. 15. Herrera’s suspension runs from Friday through Sunday this weekend.

Frey was penalized for failing to maintain a straight course on Ghostly Act, who was disqualified from second to fourth in the first race on Feb. 16. Frey is suspended on Saturday and Sunday this weekend and on March 1.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.