Prat Will Ride Mage in Travers Stakes at Saratoga

Four days before the 154th running of the $1.25 million Travers Stakes (G1), jockey Flavien Prat was on the outside looking in. He had no mount in the marquee event of the 40-day meet at Saratoga Race Course.

Then fate stepped in and Prat not only has a ride in the Travers, he will be aboard the winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1).

Trainer Gustavo Delgado announced Aug. 24 that Prat will be Mage 's rider when he goes to the starting gate. The move was necessitated after Luis Saez, who had solidified the mount, was injured in a scary incident at Saratoga Aug. 23.

Saez dislocated his collarbone and suffered a slight fracture to his left wrist during the John's Call Stakes when his mount Burning Bright  was believed to have experienced a fatal cardiovascular episode. Saez was unseated and landed on the Mellon Turf Course before ending up in the bushes. 

Kiaran McLaughlin, Saez's agent, said Aug. 24 that Saez will be out for three to five weeks.

Delgado then had to get a rider and sought out Prat.

"It's not the way you want it to happen," Prat said outside the jockeys' room before the Aug. 24 card. "I wish Luis a good recovery and hope he gets back soon."

Delgado and his son, assistant trainer Gustavo Delgado Jr., had a meeting with Prat at their barn on the Oklahoma Training Track after training Aug. 24.

Prat has ridden in the Travers twice, finishing third with two horses trained by Chad Brown: Miles D  in 2021 and Zandon  last year.

"I am very excited to be on him," Prat said. "I have watched races from him prior to the Derby and I was right behind him (on Angel of Empire) in the Derby. Hopefully, the horse will run a big race."

Hall of Fame rider Javier Castellano had ridden Mage in his last three starts—including the Kentucky Derby—but was replaced by Saez when Castellano, also the regular rider on Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Arcangelo , did not meet Delgado's deadline for making a decision on which horse he would ride in the Travers.

"It is really unfortunate," Delgado Jr. said about Saez's injury. "He spent the whole morning (Aug. 23) here and he gave me a really good feeling. He was looking forward to riding this horse. I felt confident we were on the same page."

"Luis Saez is good, Castellano is good, Flavien Prat is good," Delgado Sr. said. "I am optimistic with Flavien because the horse is good today. He is feeling good, eating good...everything is good. If the horse is really good, you have a chance. If the horse is no good and not feeling good, you have no chance. Then, I might as well watch the Travers on TV."

Delgado Jr. said Mage is an easy horse to ride. When asked if Prat was told the ride aboard Mage is in his hands, he chuckled.

"I mean, once the gates open, there is no other choice than to leave it my hands," he said.

McLaughlin said that Saez is scheduled to have a procedure to relocate his collarbone at the Bone & Joint Center in Albany Aug. 25. 

Sometime next week, McLaughlin said, Saez will return to his home in Florida to recuperate. He was having a solid Saratoga meet. Before being injured, he was in second place in the Saratoga riding standings with 30 victories.

"We have been blessed," McLaughlin said. "Luis had a good attitude and he hopes all his mounts win."

Other mounts Saez had on Travers Day included Dr. B (15-1) in the $500,000 Ballerina Handicap (G1); One in Vermillion  (10-1) in the $500,000 H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes (G1); and Pipeline  (12-1) in the $500,000 Forego Stakes (G1).

He was also scheduled to ride Secret Oath  (8-1) in the $500,000 Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) Aug. 25.