Prat takes off United to ride Domestic Spending in Breeders' Cup Turf
ARCADIA, Calif. – The partnership between top California jockey Flavien Prat and the multiple stakes winner United has ended, at least temporarily.
Trainer Richard Mandella said Sunday that John Velazquez will ride United in the Breeders’ Cup Turf on Nov. 6 at Del Mar. Prat has opted to ride Domestic Spending for New York-based trainer Chad Brown, according to the rider’s agent, Brad Pegram.
“The horse of Chad Brown’s must be pretty good for Prat to take off,” Mandella said.
Later on Sunday, Mandella said Prat would “probably” have the mount at some point in United’s future.
Prat has ridden Domestic Spending in his last three starts – wins in the Grade 1 Old Forester Turf Classic on May 1 at Churchill Downs and Manhattan Stakes on June 5 at Belmont Park, and a second in the Grade 1 Mr. D. Stakes on Aug. 14 at Arlington Park.
Prat has ridden United in 17 of the 6-year-old gelding’s 22 starts, including the last 16 starts. The span includes eight wins, seven in stakes, and two appearances in the BC Turf. United was second by a head to eventual Horse of the Year Bricks and Mortar, trained by Brown, in the 2019 BC Turf at Santa Anita, and eighth in the 2020 BC Turf at Keeneland.
This year, United has won 3 of 5 starts, with all the wins in stakes. At the Del Mar summer meeting, United won the Grade 2 Eddie Read Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on July 24 and was fourth after racing in traffic in the Grade 2 Del Mar Handicap at 1 3/8 miles on Aug. 21.
“He should have won the race for fun,” Mandella said. “He had a lot of trouble.”
Owned by Larry, Nancy, and Jaime Roth’s LNJ Foxwoods Stable, United won the Grade 2 John Henry Turf Championship at 1 1/4 miles on Oct. 2 at Santa Anita.
“He seems good,” Mandella said. “He’s been good for a couple of years.”