Kentucky Downs Meet Attracting Country's Top Riders

Kentucky Downs' deep jockey colony is getting even deeper for the six-day meet of all-grass racing that begins next month.

According to track publicity, nine of North America's top 10 riders by 2020 purse earnings are planning to ride at the southern Kentucky track for at least a portion of the meet: Irad Ortiz Jr., Joel Rosario, Tyler Gaffalione, Luis Saez, Ricardo Santana Jr., Flavien Prat, Jose Ortiz, Javier Castellano, and Florent Geroux. 

The Runhappy Meet at Kentucky Downs begins Labor Day, Sept. 7, and continues on Sept. 9-10, 12-13, and 16.

Unlike some tracks that have closed their riding colonies to out-of-state jockeys as a safety measure amid COVID-19, Kentucky Downs is allowing riders outside Kentucky to participate. In an announcement issued this month, the track said jockeys who have gone through the Kentucky Derby Week protocols at Churchill Downs will be allowed to race during the Kentucky Downs meet, and others can join them if they clear testing. Riders planning on riding at the Kentucky Downs meet but who are not riding at Churchill Downs during Derby Week must have a negative COVID-19 test taken no further out than 72 hours prior to coming to Kentucky and then be tested in the local area before being permitted to ride.

Kentucky Downs will conduct racing without spectators, a change necessitated by the increase in COVID-19 cases in the region. 

Averaging $2 million a day in purses, Kentucky Downs is among the national leaders in field size, which averaged 11.2 starters per race during its 2019 meet. This year, the meet holds even more appeal for New York and California jockeys due to reduced opportunities elsewhere. After Saratoga Race Course and Del Mar close Sept. 7, racing in New York does not resume until Sept. 18 at Belmont Park, and California pauses racing until Sept. 19 when Santa Anita Park opens. 

"We already had one of the most talented riding colonies in the world, but this year it's going to be absolutely incredible," said Ted Nicholson, Kentucky Downs' senior vice president and general manager. "It's not only our lucrative purses, but because we have averaged about 11 horses a race in recent years, there are lots of opportunities for riders instead of just a handful of jockeys dominating. At $2 million in average daily purses, you don't even have to win for coming here to be a profitable venture. Plus, jockeys tell me just how much fun it is to ride this course as a change of pace from always turning left around an oval."

Among the top riders participating at Kentucky Downs for the first time will be Hall of Famer Mike Smith, Ortiz Jr., rising California star Umberto Rispoli, and Joe Talamo, who relocated from California to Kentucky this year. In addition, Hall of Famers John Velazquez and Castellano, who between them have ridden only a handful of races at Kentucky Downs, will ride the entire meet after coming to Kentucky for Churchill Downs' rescheduled Derby Week, according to Kentucky Downs publicity.

After Saratoga's summer meet ends, Irad Ortiz, two-time Kentucky Downs defending riding champion Jose Ortiz, and Rosario will ride the remaining five days. Jose Ortiz, who will be riding for the fourth year at Kentucky Downs, said during last year's meet that he's been urging his brother Irad to fit Kentucky Downs into his annual circuit.

"He really wants to go," said Jose Ortiz, who said Irad missed last year's meet because of a suspension for a riding infraction. "He said he'd like to ride the track. I was telling him how it is: uphill, downhill, long stretch."

Smith is coming in for the Sept. 12 showcase Calumet Farm Day card to ride turf sprint standout Jolie Olimpica in the $500,000 Spendthrift Farm Ladies Sprint (G3T) for trainer Richard Mandella, who likewise is running horses at America's most unique race meet for the first time.

Smith could ride additional days as his business dictates. 

"I'm excited about getting the opportunity to ride there," said Smith, whose only prior visit to Kentucky Downs came in 2018 to sign posters commemorating his Triple Crown victory aboard Justify. "I've never ridden there. I love going over to Europe to ride, and the course at Kentucky Downs is so much of a European racetrack."

Rispoli, a two-time champion in his native Italy, started riding full time in California this year after being based in Hong Kong. He's currently first in the Del Mar standings, just ahead of Prat.

Prat will start riding at Kentucky Downs Sept. 9 as will Rispoli, their agents said.

Velazquez's only experience at Kentucky Downs was a pair of off-the-board finishes in 2018. His new agent, Ron Anderson, plans to change that.

"I'm anticipating winning some races with him—and Joel," said Anderson, also the agent for Rosario, who rode three of five days at Kentucky Downs last year. "They've got to be on the right horse. If they're not, it's my fault. I think I've got action for both riders."

Castellano rode at Kentucky Downs for the first time last year and had two wins and two seconds in five starts.

"I'm looking forward to it," he said of riding all six days this year.

As soon as the New York Racing Association announced the delayed start to Belmont's fall meet, Kiaran McLaughlin, the agent for Saez, got to work securing business for Kentucky Downs. The jockey rode two days at Kentucky Downs in 2018, including winning the Exacta Systems Dueling Ground Derby with Channel Cat, and one day last year. He'll be riding the final five days this year.

"It just made too much sense to go," McLaughlin said. "It's an opportunity to ride for some very nice purses, and we're not missing anything at Belmont."