Vazquez, Torres battling for Oaklawn riding title

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Jockeys Ramon Vazquez and Cristian Torres, who are battling it out atop the standings at Oaklawn Park, will be based on different circuits after the meet wraps on May 2.

Vazquez is Oaklawn’s current leading rider with 44 wins. His mounts have earned $2.2 million. Cody Autrey, the agent for Vazquez, said the rider will head to Lone Star Park near Dallas after this meet ends. Lone Star opens April 16 and races through July 12.

Before then, Vazquez has some upcoming stakes engagements. Autrey said he will be riding the Santa Anita Derby on April 4, then make his way to Sunland Park for an April 5 card of stakes that includes the $175,000 Mine That Bird Derby and $250,000 Sunland Park Stakes. The races at Sunland are on Easter Sunday. There is no racing that afternoon at Oaklawn.

Torres is the second-leading rider at Oaklawn with 39 wins. He leads all riders at the current meet in mount earnings with $3.6 million. Autrey said Torres will head to Churchill Downs just a few dates before the end of Oaklawn and will be based at the Louisville, Ky., track that opens its meet April 25. Before then, Torres will ride a few days at Keeneland, Autrey said.

Oaklawn racing secretary Pat Pope said nine riders have accumulated $1 million or more in mount earnings so far this season at Oaklawn.

Franco to Lone Star

Jockey Geovanni Franco, who is scheduled to ride on the Dubai World Cup card on March 28, will head to Lone Star Park after his trip overseas and will be based there for the meet, according to Autrey, who will represent the rider at Lone Star.

“He’ll be there from Day 1,” Autrey said of the meet that starts April 16.

Franco has been riding in Southern California. He began his career in 2009 and is a career winner of 1,072 races for mount earnings of $33 million, according to Daily Racing Form statistics. Among his Grade 1 wins are the 2025 Bing Crosby aboard Lovesick Blues.

Lone Star races through July 12.

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