Velazquez regains mount on Malathaat for Kentucky Oaks

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez has regained the mount on Malathaat, one of the likely favorites for the April 30 Kentucky Oaks, after missing the ride on the unbeaten filly in the April 3 Ashland Stakes.

Joel Rosario was aboard Malathaat when the Shadwell Stable filly was up in the final jumps to win the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland. Velazquez, who had ridden her in two of her three starts at 2, was scheduled to ride Malathaat in what was supposed to be her 3-year-old debut, the March 27 Gulfstream Park Oaks, but the filly was not entered by trainer Todd Pletcher in that race because of a moratorium placed on all Shadwell runners in the aftermath of the March 24 death of owner Sheikh Hamdan al Maktoum.

One week later, when the Ashland was run, Velazquez was unavailable to ride Malathaat because of prior commitments at Santa Anita that same day, including a ride on Medina Spirit, second at odds-on in the Santa Anita Derby.

Ron Anderson, agent for both Velazquez and Rosario, said Pletcher was understanding of the circumstances in giving the mount on Malathaat back to Velazquez, his longtime go-to jockey and close friend. Rosario will now ride Millefeuille for Bill Mott in the Oaks. Malathaat and Millefeuille were separated by three-quarters of a length when last they met as the one-two finishers in the Grade 2 Demoiselle in early December at Aqueduct.

Malathaat figures to vie for favoritism in the 147th Oaks with Travel Column in what is expected to be a full gate of 14 3-year-old fillies. Travel Column, trained by Brad Cox, will be ridden by Florent Geroux, her jockey in all five prior starts. Other top Oaks contenders include Search Results and the Steve Asmussen pair of Pauline’s Pearl and Clairiere. One would-be challenger, Soothsay, was recently removed from consideration by trainer Richard Mandella. Entries will be taken Monday.

Meanwhile, Rosario will begin serving a three-day suspension at week’s end. The penalty stems from the disqualification of his mount, Tracy Flick, from second to seventh in the fourth race April 11 at Keeneland. Rosario will be unavailable the first three days of the Churchill spring meet – Saturday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. There is no racing this Sunday at Churchill following the opener the previous night.

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Also, jockey James Graham will serve a three-day suspension stemming from an April 14 disqualification at Keeneland. Graham will return to action Tuesday at Churchill after sitting Thursday through Saturday of this week.