On the heels of a very successful Saratoga Race Course meet, reigning Eclipse Award jockey Flavien Prat rode at Kentucky Downs on their closing day, winning six races including the Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational and the Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational (G2).
He won the leading rider title as well. Moving on to the opening of the fall meet at Churchill Downs, Prat collected three stakes wins on Saturday including the Locust Grove (G2), the Louisville Thoroughbred Society and Open Mind. Prat won a total of 12 races for the week, leading all jockeys.
The panel of racing experts unanimously voted Prat Jockey of the Week for Sept. 8-13.
Prat started his six-win day at Kentucky Downs on Wednesday in Race 3 for trainer Mike Maker. Prat also won Race 4 and Race 7 for Maker. He won Race 9 for William Walden.
Trainer Miguel Clement gave a leg up to Prat aboard Tawny Port in the marathon 2-1/16-mile Bowling Green Gold Cup Invitational Stakes for 3-year-olds and up. Off at 3-2 in the field of eight, the 7-year-old Tawny Port raced mid pack until catching Goldeneye in the stretch for a 3/4-length win in 3:27.91.
Prat's sixth win of the day came in the Dueling Grounds Oaks Invitational (G3). Riding for two-time Eclipse Award trainer Brad Cox, Prat was aboard 4-5 favorite Kentucky Belle. Under confident handling by Prat, Kentucky Belle cruised to a 6-3/4-length win in 2:07.45 for 1-5/16th miles. With the win, Prat clinched his first Kentucky Downs leading rider title.
Riding at Churchill Downs on Friday, Prat won Race 4 for Brad Cox and Race 6 for Mike Maker.
On Saturday, Prat was the pilot aboard 4-year-old Usha for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert in the Open Mind. Breaking from post position one, 3-2 favorite Usha raced inside in third, taking the lead at the sixteenth pole for a 3/4-length win in 1:10.55 for six furlongs.
Trainer Wayne Catalano gave Prat a leg up on Built in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society. Breaking from post position four at odds of 3-5, Built raced in third outside of pacesetting Harrodsburg. Built took the lead kicking clear inside the final three-sixteenths for a 1-1/2-length win in 1:16.28 for 6-1/2 furlongs on the dirt.
Prat won his third stakes of the day aboard 2025 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) winner Splendora for Bob Baffert in the Locust Grove Stakes (G3). The 5-year-old Splendora made short work of her three rivals coasting to a wire-to-wire 5-1/4-length victory in 1:43.30 for a mile and one-sixteenth.
"She was very impressive again today," Prat said to Churchill Downs publicity. "She broke well and traveled easily on the lead and showed her class once again."
Prat won his 12th race of the week on Sunday for Bob Baffert in Race 10.
Prat will ride opening day at the new Belmont Park on Friday and travel to Parx on Saturday for Pennsylvania Derby day and mounts in seven stakes races.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Javier Castellano who won the Natalma (G1), Jose Ortiz who won the Iroquois (G3) Luis Saez with a win in the Pocahontas (G3) and John Velazquez who won the E.P. Taylor (G1).
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