Antiquarian Gives Velazquez-Pletcher 500 Stakes Wins

History is always made on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs. But unlike the Kentucky Derby (G1), which has a new winner every year, a much more permanent bit of history was recorded May 3 at Aqueduct Racetrack. When jockey John Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher teamed to win the $175,000 Westchester Stakes (G3) with Centennial Farms' Antiquarian, it marked the 500th stakes victory for the jockey-trainer combination. Records are made to be broken, but given how no other American jockey-trainer tandem is even close to that milestone, it seems certain to be a record that will last the test of time. "It's unbelievable. That's hard to do," Velazquez said. "For a trainer and a jockey to do that, I am blessed Todd gave me the opportunity to ride for him." Grade 1 winner Antiquarian, a son of Preservationist, made his first start since finishing eighth in the Nov. 1 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and drew away in the stretch to win by 5 3/4 lengths over multiple graded stakes winner and 2025 Westchester victor Bishops Bay. Centennial president and co-owner Don Little Jr. said the Suburban Stakes (G2) and the Metropolitan Handicap (G1) are among the options for Antiquarian, who won last year's Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1). "He was on today," Little said about the $250,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale buy bred by Brereton C. Jones in Kentucky. "Johnny was very happy at the way he came back. It was a good field and a great way to start the year. There's always some questions after a layoff, but he came back running." Bishops Bay was second by a nose over Pentathlon. Antiquarian ($6.34) covered the mile in 1.35.42. Brown registers 1-2 finish in Beaugay Trainer Chad Brown continued his dominance in the $169,750 Beaugay Stakes (G3T) as he sent out City Girl (FR) and Dynamic Pricing (IRE) for a 1-2 finish in the Big A's1 1/16-mile turf stakes for older fillies and mares. It gave Brown seven Beaugay wins in the last nine runnings and eight victories overall. City Girl, who started her career in France, was making her American stakes debut after winning an allowance optional claimer at Tampa Bay Downs in her last start for Brown and owners Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Michael Kisber. The daughter of City Light (FR) scored by three-quarters of a length over Klaravich Stables' grade 1 winner Dynamic Pricing. Laurelin (IRE) was another two lengths back in third. Ridden by Flavien Prat, City Girl was timed in 1:42.61 Grammy GIRL gets the prize in Vagrancy Stakes Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. matched Brown in the $175,000 Vagrancy Stakes (G3) as he registered a 1-2 finish of his own with Grammy Girl edging stablemate Mystic Lake in the sprint stakes for older fillies and mares. Red Storm Stable, Miller Racing, and Flower Power Stables' Grammy Girl, who prevailed by 1 1/4 lengths, was coming off a win in the Distaff Stakes (G3) at the Big A. Grammy Girl ($9.48), a daughter of Mastery bred by Steven and Brandi Nicholson, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.64 under Javier Castellano. Praying was third.