Prat will ride Country Grammer in Hollywood Gold Cup

Jockey Flavien Prat has been booked to ride Country Grammer in the Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup on May 29 at Santa Anita, the first time he has ridden the multiple stakes winner in the United States since a victory in the same race in 2021.

Prat rode Country Grammer to a second-place finish in the $20 million Saudi Cup in Saudi Arabia in February 2022. Country Grammer has since been ridden by Frankie Dettori, John Velazquez, and Juan Hernandez.

Country Grammer has one win in that span, the Grade 2 San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita in December. Earlier this year, Country Grammer was second in the Saudi Cup in February, but seventh of 15 in the $12 million Dubai World Cup on March 25. Dettori was aboard for those races.

Trainer Bob Baffert on Sunday confirmed Prat’s assignment on Country Grammer for the $400,000 Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on dirt.

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Prat, who is currently riding at Belmont Park, will ride all three Grade 1 races on May 29 at Santa Anita. He has two mounts for trainer Phil D’Amato in Grade 1 races on turf that day – Hong Kong Harry in the $500,000 Shoemaker Mile and School Dance in the $400,000 Gamely Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles.

Prat, a former leading rider at Santa Anita, was based at Santa Anita until early April this year. At the winter-spring portion of the track’s current meeting, which ended April 9, Prat won 31 races, second in the standings to Hernandez, who had 63.

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