Q & A With NYRA Circuit-Topping Jockey Franco

Jockey Manny Franco has won three New York Racing Association circuit meet titles this year—Aqueduct Racetrack winter, Aqueduct spring, Belmont at the Big A fall meet—and is closing in on a fourth as he currently holds an 11-win lead in the Aqueduct fall standings. The 29-year-old native of Carolina, Puerto Rico, has won 233 races on the NYRA circuit this year, leading the way by 65 wins over Irad Ortiz Jr. as he looks to secure his third year-end title following successes in 2018-19.

Franco has demonstrated quantity by riding winners in bunches—scoring at Aqueduct with six of seven mounts Jan. 6 and with five of seven mounts March 10—but has also won with quality. He has 28 stakes wins in 2023, including seven graded races, led by grade 2 scores with Higher Truth  in the Sheepshead Bay Stakes (G2T) at Belmont Park, Channel Maker  in the Bowling Green Stakes (G2T), and Evvie Jets  in the Ballston Spa Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course.

Franco, represented by agent John Panagot, has already achieved a career high of more than $17.3 million in purse earnings this year.

What follows is a discussion with the NYRA publicity department: 

NYRA: You became one of just 19 riders—a list that includes 11 Hall of Famers—to post a six-win day at a NYRA track here in January. How do you maintain that level of focus from race to race?

Manny Franco: I prepare the same way every day. I come with a positive mind and try to make the most of my opportunities. It's been working for me.

Here in New York, it's the toughest colony in the country, and to be the leading rider it means my agent and I are doing something good. He's been working hard—me as well. It's teamwork. There's a lot of communication with the trainers and the owners and working hard in the mornings, that helps a lot. And trying to make the most of the opportunity when the time comes.

NYRA: You have posted a record of 176-40-26-26 this year for trainer Chad Brown, winning at a 22% clip and a 52% in-the-money rate. This includes nine stakes wins for the year. What have you learned from riding regularly for such a big outfit?

MF: You want to do good for those barns. They have the big horses, and that's what we're here for—to get a chance to ride in the big races, the big stakes, and those barns, especially, can take you where you want to go.

In some races, Chad has more than one horse, and when you win for him, it's special. I want to take every chance that they give me.

NYRA: You posted a pair of memorable graded stakes scores at the Spa this summer, guiding 9-year-old Channel Maker to a front-running 15-1 upset in the Bowling Green Stakes July 30 for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott.

A few weeks later, Aug. 24, you piloted the Mertkan Kantarmaci-trained Evvie Jets to a 29-1 upset in the Ballston Spa Stakes with a rail-skimming ride to score by a head over Fluffy Socks. Both Channel Maker and Evvie Jets are fan favorites on the circuit. What does it mean to win at Saratoga and to do so with such well-regarded horses?

MF: Channel Maker has been a big part of my career and gave me such nice wins in big stakes. I'm grateful to have had those opportunities. Evvie Jets, that filly was great that day. I was so happy to win a race for those guys. They've helped me a lot and it makes me happy to win a big stakes for them.

With Evvie Jets, I know she's maybe a little better when she's on the lead, but she can win from off the pace, too. That day, there was a lot of speed in the race, and I made sure to break and get my forward position and after that I had a dream trip. The rail opened up, and I had the filly under me and she did the rest that day. I did everything I could to win the race for those guys and I was really pleased to get it done for them. Any race you can win at Saratoga is special.

NYRA: How would you describe your riding style?

MF: I think it's all about the horse that you ride. I like to be in the middle of the race, off the pace a little bit. But if I have a fast horse, I know how to get it done that way, too!

NYRA: You won the 2019 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) with Sharing and enjoyed a tremendous run aboard Tiz the Law in 2020, taking the Belmont Stakes (G1) and the Travers Stakes (G1) ahead of a runner-up effort to Authentic in the Kentucky Derby (G1). Is there a race that you dream of winning?

MF: I really want to win the Kentucky Derby. I was so close to winning with Tiz the Law. I have that race in my heart and I think that's the dream for all the riders. That's what we work so hard for.