Jaramillo Named to Ride Majesto in Derby
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Majesto at Churchill Downs May 1
Majesto, the runner-up to champion Nyquist in the Xpressbet.com Florida Derby (gr. I), will be ridden by Emisael Jaramillo, the all-time leading rider in Venezuela, in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
In addition, trainer Gustavo Delgado said via Twitter that Jaramillo, who relocated to South Florida to ride full-time last year, will ride the trainer’s Paola Queen in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) and Grand Tito in the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (gr. IT).
Lile Paola Queen, Majesto is owned by Grupo 7, an ownership group that consists of seven Ceballos brothers.
A son of Tiznow bred in Kentucky by Diamond A Racing Corp., Majesto broke his maiden in his fifth career start just prior to a major step up in competition in the Florida Derby where he outran his 21-1 odds.
Delgado was forced to find another rider for Majesto after Javier Castellano, who was aboard for the Florida Derby, committed to ride Destin for trainer Todd Pletcher in the Derby.
Paola Queen, a daughter of Flatter , took four starts to break her maiden and not unlike her stablemate stepped it up to earn her ticket to the Kentucky Oaks with a second-place finish in the Gulfstream Park Oaks (gr. II) on the Florida Derby card.
“I like my chances better on Friday than on Saturday,” Delgado said Sunday in reference to Paola Queen’s Oaks. “The Derby is what it is. With 20 horses, anything can happen.”