Velazquez Equals Ycaza's Saratoga Win Mark
by Mike Kane
Date Posted: 8/16/2003 7:43:20 PM

Jockey John Velazquez rode five winners Saturday to equal Manny Ycaza's Saratoga Race Course riding record of 41 victories in a season set in 1959.

Ycaza set the record when the Saratoga meeting lasted 24 days. Velazquez tied the mark on the 22nd day of the 36-day season with Island Whirl in the Alabama (gr.I).

Velazquez is the leading rider at the meet with a record of 41-20-19 from 127 mounts. Three of Velazquez' victories Saturday came aboard horses trained by Todd Pletcher. On Thursday, Pletcher broke Sylvester Veitch's 49-year-old Saratoga record for victories in a season of 24. Like Ycaza, Veitch set the record during a 24-day meeting. Pletcher ended Saturday's program with 28 wins, 22 more than his closest pursuers.

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