Santana Has Five-Win Day at Oaklawn Park
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Ricardo Santana Jr., who has taken the last three riding titles Oaklawn Park, rode five winners on the track's nine-race card March 12, highlighted by Terra Promessa's victory in the Honeybee Stakes (gr. III).
Santana, 23, narrowly missed Oaklawn's single-day record for victories (six), a mark shared by Pat Day and Larry Snyder. He finished third aboard Gabio, beaten 1 1/4 lengths, in the second race. He also rode five winners at Oaklawn April 11, 2013, and Feb. 6, 2015.
In addition to Terra Promessa ($8), Santana won the first race aboard favored Star Canyon ($4.80), fifth race with favored It's All Up to You ($5), seventh race on Luna de Loco ($9.40), and ninth race in the irons on Divine Thunder ($9).
Santana rode Star Canyon and It's All Up to You for defending Oaklawn leading trainer Chris Hartman, Luna de Loco and Terra Promessa for six-time Oaklawn leading trainer Steve Asmussen, and Divine Thunder for trainer Randy Matthews.
Santana is Oaklawn's runaway riding leader this year, with his meet-high 49 victories coming for 16 trainers. After winning riding titles in 2013 (70 victories), 2014 (59) and 2015 (53), Santana is poised for his most successful Oaklawn meeting. Saturday was the 34th day of the now-scheduled 55-day meeting.
"I'm riding a lot of good horses," Santana said.
Terra Promessa represented the 16th Oaklawn stakes victory for Santana, who began riding in Hot Springs in 2011. Santana also leads all jockeys in purses earnings at this year's meet ($1,806,368).
He had an Oaklawn-best $2,552,303 in purse earnings in 2014 and has 259 victories overall at the Hot Springs track.
Corey Nakatani ($1,135,063) is second in purse earnings at this year's Oaklawn meet and tied for second with Ramon Vazquez in victories (24).
Santana was scheduled to begin a three-day riding suspension today, stemming from a March 5 incident, but is appealing the stewards' ruling to the Arkansas Racing Commission, according to his agent, Ruben Munoz.