Quatre Cat benefits from unique bond with Pacheco

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – According to jockey Ryan Pacheco, Quatre Cat came out of her 8 1/2-length romp in the $50,000 Ross McLeod Stakes last Sunday in excellent shape.

He should know. Pacheco is not only her rider, but, unheard of in this day and age, he also is her groom.

Pacheco said the arrangement has led to a strong bond between horse and jockey. Apparently, it all came to fruition in an impressive performance in the 6 1/2-furlong McLeod, in which Quatre Cat dominated the race while posting a fast final time of 1:16.88.

Quatre Cat is trained by Sylvia Gregory.

“Sylvia needed help in her barn this winter, and I thought it would be better than galloping horses, so I started working for her,” said Pacheco. “I think the trust Quatre Cat has in me made a big difference in why she ran so well in the Ross McLeod. What they say about horses and people bonding is true, and we have really bonded. She knows I’m not going to abuse her, and she responds in a positive way to everything I do with her.”

Quatre Cat wasn’t exactly an empty stall last year. She won her debut and nosed out Finality’s Charmer in the $50,000 British Columbia Cup Debutante. She didn’t win her next three starts, but she finished second in the $50,000 CTHS Sales Stakes and third in the $75,000 Fantasy when she stretched out to a middle distance for the first time.

Following her exceptional work out of the gate April 26, going 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:19, Pacheco was expecting the improved performance in her first start as a 3-year-old.

“Last year, she was a bit hesitant about some of the things we were trying to do with her,” said Pacheco. “Not anymore. She’s really a different horse this year. I never really asked her to run when we worked out of the gate, and she went as fast as a lot of races go.”

He also was confident when they went into the first turn sitting just off the speed in the McLeod.

“I had a big grin on my face,” said Pacheco. “She was going so easily, and I could see the other horses weren’t. She really responds to words and hands. I’ll talk to her during a race. I just chirped to her and gave her a little nudge with my hands, and she was gone.”

Being a full-time groom has cost Pacheco mounts at the meet.

“I knew it might be an issue,” said Pacheco. “I told everyone that Sylvia has no problem with me stopping what I am doing at the barn to work a horse. So far, it hasn’t worked out the way I thought it would. It is still a good situation for me, though. I have first call on all of Sylvia’s horses, and hopefully, other trainers will see how I’m riding and give me some opportunities.”

Expect to see Quatre Cat in the $50,000 Emerald Downs Handicap at Hastings on June 6.

“You know, I haven’t even thought about her next race,” said Gregory. “You wouldn’t know she had been in a race when she came back to the barn. She’s doing fantastic, so I guess she’ll run in whatever comes up next.”

** Comparing corresponding days, the mutuel handle at Hastings was up 43 percent last weekend.

Last year on Kentucky Derby weekend, the total live handle for Saturday and Sunday was $895,664. Last weekend, the number was $1,252,259. All of the gains came offtrack.

“We had decent field size and competitive racing,” said Darren MacDonald, general manager at Hastings. “It proved pretty popular in the simulcast market.”