Stevens does well picking his spots, especially in stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. - Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens has defined the concept of a boutique rider at Santa Anita this winter.

Through Saturday, Stevens had won 10 races from 50 mounts. Seven of those wins were in stakes, leaving Stevens with a clear lead in that category. Flavien Prat is second with four stakes wins.

“I don’t have a lot of horses, but the ones I have are good ones,” Stevens said on Sunday morning.

Stevens, 52, won Saturday’s Sensational Star Stakes for California-breds on Boozer, his first non-graded stakes win since the meeting began on Dec. 26. Boozer won the Sensational Star by a head, taking the lead in the final strides. Boozer races for Al and Sandee Kirkwood and is trained by Mark Glatt.

Stevens had an ideal start to the current meeting, winning two graded stakes on opening day. He had one graded stakes win in January – Taris in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes – and three graded stakes wins in February, including the Grade 3 Robert Lewis Stakes with the impressive 3-year-old Mor Spirit.

“This time of year, I’m excited,” he said. “There are a lot of things coming up.”

Mor Spirit is a candidate for the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes on March 12 and the $1 million Santa Anita Derby on April 9. On March 12, Stevens is booked to ride Kobe’s Back in the $300,000 San Carlos Stakes for sprinters. Kobe’s Back won the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes on Feb. 7.

On March 19, Taris is expected to run in the $500,000 Santa Margarita Invitational, the meeting’s leading race for older fillies and mares on the main track.

Some of those horses may help Stevens extend his success in stakes.

In his career, Stevens has won 215 career stakes at Santa Anita’s winter-spring meeting, leaving him the leading active rider and fourth on the all-time list behind Bill Shoemaker (260), Laffit Pincay Jr. (253), and Chris McCarron (242).

Stevens returned to riding on a full-time basis in January 2013. He announced his retirement in November 2005, and rode an old-timer’s race in 2008. Through his comeback, Stevens has emphasized riding quality mounts over quantity.

Stevens said he wishes he was more active. He did not ride on Sunday, and is not booked to ride Thursday’s eight-race program.

“I’d like to ride more horses, if available,” he said.