Luis Saez rode five winners to top the 100-win mark during the Gulfstream Park Championship Meet
Jockey Luis Saez rode five winners on Thursday’s 10-race card at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale, Fla., while notching his fourth straight 100-win Championship Meet season in the process.
Saez rode his 100th winner in Race 4 aboard Blakey ($5.20) before going on to win four more races. He came right back in Race 5 to score aboard Sister O’Toole ($4.20) in Race 5 before visiting the winner’s circle with Blue Buff ($3) in Race 7, and Too Much War ($13.60) in Race 8.
The 27-year-old Panama native captured the meet titles in 2016-’17 with 102 wins and 2017-’18 with a record 137 victories before finishing second behind Irad Ortiz Jr., 135-134, in 2018-’19.
With 104 wins, Saez is second behind Ortiz, who has ridden 115 winners, this season.
Blue Buff maintained a perfect record on dirt with an overpowering four-length victory in a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming starter allowance. The 6-year-old son of Unbridled’s Song won his two prior starts by 2 ½ and 6 lengths. The John Servis-trained gelding, who won his debut in 2017 before going on the shelf for 2 ½ years, ran three times on turf upon his return before going back to dirt.
Edgar Prado Moves Into Tie with Angel Cordero Again
Edgar Prado celebrated tying fellow Hall of Famer Angel Cordero Jr. for eighth on the all-time races-won standings a second time Thursday at Gulfstream Park.
Prado was believed to have ridden his 7057th winner Wednesday, but it was discovered that a victory in 2015 was still being counted despite a subsequent disqualification.
He came right back to officially tie Cordero while winning Thursday’s last race aboard Belgrano ($13.60).
Prado, who rode as an apprentice in his native Peru, began riding in the U.S. in 1986. He notched his first win aboard Single Love at Calder on June 1, 1986. The 53-year-old jockey, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2008, has amassed countless highlights during his illustrious career, including a Kentucky Derby (G1) win aboard Barbaro in 2006, when he was honored with an Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding jockey, and Belmont Stakes (G1) wins aboard Birdstone (2004) and Sarava (2002), as well as five Breeder’s Cup victories.
Prado’s mounts have earned nearly $270 million in purses.
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