Prat Goes Back-to-Back as Eclipse Outstanding Jockey

Winning the Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey for the first time in 2024 was a dream come true for French-born jockey Flavien Prat. However, the only thing on his mind at the time was how he could continue to improve. "You put so much work into it and you don't even think about what could happen next," Prat said. "You just move on to the next year and just try to get better and have a good season." That mindset allowed Prat to ride the wave into a career-best year in 2025, earning his second consecutive Eclipse Award as the nation's top rider. "It's rewarding," Prat said of a second Eclipse Award. "I'm very satisfied. I had the chance to be riding good horses all season long. I thought it was a good season for sure." Riding in a career-high 1,256 North American races, Prat set career-best numbers in both wins and earnings. His 309 trips to the winner's circle ranked fourth nationally. Prat then became just the second rider in history to have mounts earn more than $40 million in purse money in a single season, but the first to do so, Irad Ortiz Jr., also reached that milestone in 2025. Despite a remarkable $40,460,428 in earnings, Prat fell just $37,419 short of Ortiz in leading all riders in North America for a second straight year. Prat couldn't help but think about how close he came, but ultimately appreciates the year as one of his best. "I don't want to be disappointed because it's been a very good season, if not the best season I ever had," Prat said. Where Prat excelled over all other riders in 2025 was on the big stage. Leading all North American riders, Prat won 13 grade 1 races and 46 graded stakes. Prat won twice during the Breeders' Cup World Championships, taking the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) with Splendora and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) with Nysos. In fact, his 13 grade 1 triumphs came on the backs of 13 different horses, also winning at the top level with Argos, Brant, Carl Spackler (IRE), El Cordobes (IRE), Excellent Truth (IRE), Fionn, King of Gosford (GB), Raging Sea, Segesta, Sierra Leone, and Zulu Kingdom (IRE). Considered a "gun for hire" by many, Prat rode at 17 different North American tracks, winning at 16. Based primarily in New York for most of the year, he earned two leading rider titles at Aqueduct Racetrack during the spring/summer meet and fall meet. He was also the leading rider during the spring meets at Keeneland and Pimlico Race Course. "I enjoy riding on different tracks with different riders," Prat said. "The chance of riding good horses everywhere in the country, that's a big motivation." On Nov. 2, he tied the New York Racing Association record for most riding wins on a single card with seven. On June 27, he rode his 2,000th career North American winner. Perhaps the best praise comes from those you compete against, including five-time Eclipse Award winner Ortiz, who was Prat's main competition for this year's award. "I have a ton of respect for Flavien," Ortiz said. "He's a professional guy inside the track and outside the track. We compete very professionally, we keep everything in the (jocks') room. We get along very well. … I think (the competition) pushes you to want to do a little extra, a little more. He's really good." Prat echoed those sentiments. "I would imagine on numbers, (Ortiz) is ahead of any rider that's ever rode in America," Prat said. "He's a bit of a benchmark. He's a great competitor. To be able to compete with him and against him, it's great. Just a ton of respect for him." If the battle for purse earnings in 2025 is any indication, racing fans are in for a special era of competition between the two top riders for many years to come. "It's amazing what we've both been doing the last few years. I haven't seen that in a long time," Ortiz said. "Maybe we are helping the sport go to another level, and that feels great."