Jockey Paco Lopez does not often make the journey to Laurel Park to ride but a mount in the Preakness Stakes (G1) on Saturday was one of those exceptions and it proved to be a career highlight. With his first career classic race win, Lopez was voted Jockey of the Week for May 11-17 by the panel of racing experts.
On Saturday, trainer Chad Summers gave a leg up to Lopez aboard Napoleon Solo in the Preakness Stakes (G1). Lopez had previously ridden the gray colt to a fifth place finish in the Wood Memorial (G2) in April at Aqueduct. Lopez was so confident Napoleon Solo could handle the added distance of the Preakness, he convinced the trainer and ownership to enter the colt in the second jewel of the Triple Crown. Napoleon Solo had also won the Champagne Stakes (G1) at Aqueduct as a 2-year-old.
Off as the fourth betting choice and breaking from post position 10 in the field of 14, Napoleon Solo settled a length behind the leader and race favorite, Taj Mahal through three-quarters. On the far turn, Napoleon Solo began to gain on Taj Mahal and took the lead as the field turned for home. Iron Honor with Flavien Prat tried to make a race of it down the stretch but fell short as Napoleon Solo hit the wire in front by a length and a quarter in 1:58:69 for the mile and three-sixteenths.
"We had the perfect run," said Lopez to Laurel publicity. "Chad had him ready. In the post parade, he started playing with the pony so we broke away but came back and he was very comfortable. He broke perfect and followed them around, there was a lot of speed in the race, and he was patient until it was time to move. My first (Triple Crown) win. It is so exciting."
Not one to miss a mount, Lopez came right back in the next and final race of the day to win the nightcap for trainer Kelly Breen.
Lopez has his sights set on winning the Haskell (G1) with Napoleon Solo on July 18, the next scheduled start for the Preakness winner. The Haskell is one of the few stakes races at Monmouth that Lopez has yet to win. He has dominated the standings at Monmouth and his seeking his thirteenth riding title and eighth straight at the Jersey Shore.
A native of Vera Cruz, Mexico, Lopez, 40, has been riding in the United Stakes since 2007 and won the Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice in 2008. He won his 4,000th career race on October 6, 2024 at Keeneland.
This time of year, Lopez will ride every day, if possible, at tracks within close proximity of his base of Monmouth Park. This week he so far has mounts at Parx then Delaware Park.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Tyler Gaffalione with two graded stakes wins including the Black Eyed Susan (G2) and the Maryland Sprint (G3), Yedsit Hazlewood who won a stakes race at Laurel, Brian Hernandez, Jr. with a graded stakes win at Churchill Downs and Irad Ortiz, Jr. with two stakes wins at Laurel and five consecutive wins at Churchill Downs on Sunday.
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