Jockey of the Week Honors to Hot-Riding Prat

It's not unusual for reigning Eclipse Award jockey Flavien Prat to travel between racetracks in a given week. But to record 14 wins from 29 mounts including a graded stakes race is a testament to his extraordinary riding skills and professionalism. His spectacular week came in spite of an on-track incident at Belmont Park on Friday in the 4th race where he was unseated near the finish line forcing him to miss the second half of the day's card. The panel of racing experts voted Prat Jockey of the Week October 11-October 18. Prat began the week on Wednesday at Keeneland with five mounts and five victories starting with Race 2 for trainer Brendan Walsh. Prat followed with a win in Race 4 for Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen and again for Asmussen in Race 5. Prat then won the Wednesday feature, Race 6, aboard Blast Furnace for trainer Mike Maker and ending the day with Race 7 for Brendan Walsh. Prat flew to New York for Belmont Park's Thursday card winning Race 6 for trainer Amelia Green and the day's feature, Race 7 for trainer Chris Englehart. On Friday still at Belmont Park, Prat won Race 2 for Chad Brown. Prat was next aboard the 2-year-old filly In The Queue for Mike Maker in Race 4 when In The Queue fell near the wire unseating Prat who took off the rest of his mounts. Undaunted, Prat flew back to Kentucky and was in the saddle on Saturday at Keeneland posting a win in Race 5 for trainer Dale Romans. Trainer William Walden then gave Prat a leg up on Movie Night in the Lexus Raven Run (G2) for 3-year-old fillies. Off at odds of 7-2 in the field of 11, Movie Night raced in third while longshot Mythical with Emisael Jaramillo led the field. Turning for home, Movie Night began to close the gap taking the lead in the final sixteenth for a two-length win in 1:23.28 for seven furlongs. "I just tried to keep her relaxed," said Prat to Keeneland publicity. "She gets in gear very easily. She settled very nicely--almost too nicely, so that got me a bit worried. But she was an old pro today." Prat headed back to Belmont Park for Sunday's card recording another multiple-win day. Prat posted three wins in a row starting with Race 4 for Chad Brown, Race 5 for Joe Sharp and Race 6 for George Weaver. Prat won the nightcap, Race 8, for Chad Brown. Prat's 14 wins for the week were for 10 different trainers. Prat will be riding at Belmont Park Wednesday-Saturday before heading to Churchill Downs for opening day of their Fall Meet on Sunday. Prat is in second place in the Belmont Park standings and is tied for third with Jose Ortiz in the Keeneland standings. Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Tyler Gaffalione who won the Perryville (G3) at Keeneland, Juan J. Hernandez with a win in the Lure Stakes at Santa Anita, Paco Lopez who won the New York Breeders' Futurity at Finger Lakes and Sheldon Russell with a win in the Endine Stakes at Delaware Park. Statistics provided by: Equibase/Photo: Keeneland Photo