Vazquez doubles up in graded stakes
Jockey Ramon Vazquez pulled a graded stakes double last week, when he won the Grade 2 Brooklyn on the Belmont Stakes undercard in New York just five days after winning Lone Star Park’s richest race, the Grade 3, $400,000 Steve Sexton Mile.
“It was incredible,” Vazquez said.
Vazquez is based at Lone Star, in Texas, and guided Mo Mosa to a 3 1/2-length win in the Sexton Mile for Perry and Denise Martin and trainer Mike Maker.
“I was really confident in Mo Mosa because I know he loved the sloppy track,” Vazquez said. “The last quarter, he responded.”
Just a few days later, Vazquez was aboard Lone Rock for the Brooklyn. The pair rolled by 11 1/4 lengths for Flying P Stable and trainer Robertino Diodoro.
“That was a big dream for me because I never rode in New York before,” Vazquez said. “I waited for a long time for this opportunity. All the connections gave me the opportunity to ride him. He’s a good horse. He won easy.”
Vazquez is now 3 for 3 on Lone Rock.
Vazquez, who is a multiple title winner at Prairie Meadows and Remington Park, is in his second season at Lone Star. After winning last year’s Lone Star title, he ranks fifth in the standings through Thursday.
“It’s going good,” Vazquez said. “We got here late, three weeks late because we stayed at Oaklawn until the end. It’s a really good track.”
Vazquez will base next at Remington, where he has won five titles. The 37-year-old native of Puerto Rico is from a family of riders as his father, uncle, and cousin were all jockeys.
“When I was maybe 7, 8 I told my parents I wanted to be a jockey,” he said.
Vazquez is now a winner of more than 3,000 races – including a rare graded stakes double in Texas and New York.
◗ The last three horses to win the Texas-bred of the year title will be in action Sunday at Lone Star Park, with 2018 title winner Direct Dial meeting Mr Money Bags (2019) in the Wayne Hanks Memorial and Redatory (2020) running in the Texas Hall of Fame Stakes.
◗ Sam Houston Race Park will put on six stakes for Quarter Horses on Saturday night, led by the $106,000 Sam Houston Texas-bred Championship. The 12-race card starts at 6:05 p.m. Central.
◗ Jockey Gerard Melancon entered Wednesday night’s races at Evangeline Downs three wins from his 5,000th Thoroughbred victory, according to Daily Racing Form statistics.
◗ Karl Broberg entered Wednesday’s racing action four wins from 4,000 training victories, according to Daily Racing Form statistics. Broberg also is an owner who races as End Zone Athletics.