Keeneland Cancellation Keeps Bejarano in California

The cancellation of the Keeneland spring meet will keep jockey Rafael Bejarano in Southern California.

A regular on the California circuit for much of the last 15 years, Bejarano had intended to make Kentucky his full-time base beginning in April, but the altering racing landscape caused by the COVID-19 outbreak altered those plans. Santa Anita Park, where he is currently riding, has continued to race during the pandemic in front of a facility mostly free of spectators, except horsemen, racing officials, and some track employees.

“We really had little choice but to conduct business here for the time being," said agent Tora Yamaguchi, who has represented Bejarano since 2015. “In the overall picture, racing is secondary right now but we’re all trying to make the best of things and do what we can.”

A 37-year-old native of Peru, Bejarano swept all five major Southern California titles in 2008 and was a finalist that year or an Eclipse Award as outstanding jockey.

Entering the March 21 racing program, Bejarano had ridden 4,057 winners from 20,056 mounts in North American with earnings of more than $204 million. He began Saturday with six wins from 77 mounts during the ongoing Santa Anita meet.

He traveled to Kentucky for a day of riding last week, where he rode Bango to victory in the Mayers Electric Company Animal Kingdom Stakes at Turfway Park as part of the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) program.

Also staying put in California is former Italian rider Umberto Rispoli, currently fourth in the standings, who recently hired Scotty McClellan as his agent after prior agent Ron Anderson began representing both John Velazquez and Joel Rosario.