Lacking Breeders' Cup Mounts, Smith to Ride at Del Mar

Mike Smith is the leading jockey in Breeders' Cup history by wins (26) and purse earnings ($36,634,605). His four victories in the championship event's climactic race, the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1), are only one behind Chris McCarron and Jerry Bailey for tops in that category.

But when the 37th running of the Breeders' Cup World Championships is staged Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland in Lexington, the Hall of Fame rider will be more than 2,000 miles away. The 55-year-old will be at Del Mar for the second weekend of the fall meeting that began Oct. 31.

"I'm staying. I don't have any mounts so I'm sitting this one (Breeders' Cup) out," Smith told Del Mar publicity by telephone when asked to 'say it ain't so' about his pending Breeders' Cup absence.

Breeders' Cup records show that Smith has only missed three editions since his first assignments in 1990.

Smith has 10 more wins than second-leading John Velazquez and his earnings are nearly $10 million more than Velazquez. His Classic victories came on Skip Away (1997), Zenyatta (2009), Drosselmeyer (2011), and Arrogate  (2016).

In a season altered by COVID-19, travel restrictions combined with bad fortune left Smith's cup dry.

Smith was the regular rider for 3-year-old Honor A. P. , the Runhappy Santa Anita Derby (G1) winner, and 5-year-old mare Midnight Bisou, the champion older female of 2019. He also was often aboard 5-year-old McKinzie , runner-up in the 2019 Breeders' Cup Classic and winner of the Triple Bend Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita Park. All three were retired in the past few months.

Smith stuck with Honor A. P. in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) at Churchill Downs, where Honor A. P. was fourth his final start. Riding Honor A. P. meant the Derby ride on TVG.com Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Authentic opened up for Velazquez, who rode him to victory in the Derby after Smith had handled the colt in the Haskell.

Authentic later ran second in the Preakness Stakes (G1) under Velazquez and is a contender for the Nov. 7 Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1).

"It's kind of depressing," Smith admits. "But I'm going to ride as much as I can at Del Mar and maybe pick up some business while the other guys are back there. Del Mar is such a short meeting, it's important to get off to a good start and hopefully I'll be able to kick it off well."

West Coast riders Flavien Prat, Umberto Rispoli, and Juan Hernandez are expected to miss a portion of the Del Mar meet due to Breeders' Cup obligations, according to Del Mar publicity.

Diaz Jr. Tests Positive for COVID-19

Jockey J. C. Diaz Jr. has tested positive for COVID-19 but is asymptomatic and began self-isolation at his Los Angeles area apartment Oct. 30, according to Del Mar.

As part of Del Mar's protocols and procedures for dealing with the pandemic, riders and personnel were tested this week on either Wednesday or Thursday at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla, Calif. Before he came on site at Del Mar, Diaz was notified Friday morning of his test result.

If Diaz remains asymptomatic by the end of the isolation period, he could return to riding Nov. 13. A 20-year-old native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, will miss the first two weekends of the fall meeting.

"Just like at Santa Anita, Del Mar is doing a great job with testing and procedures," said Tony Matos, Diaz's agent. "We all want to follow the rules and do whatever we can to keep everyone as safe as possible."  

Del Mar had a spike in COVID-19 cases in July when 15 jockeys tested positive, some of whom after riding at Los Alamitos Race Course during the summer. The rash of cases forced Del Mar to cancel racing from July 17-19.