Edgar Prado won plenty of races and purse money in 2006, but figures to be best remembered for something he accomplished outside the saddle.
The Peruvian native, who rode Lael Stables’ Barbaro to victory in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), helped Barbaro avoid a far more serious injury by jumping off and grabbing hold of the reins after the colt broke down early in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Efforts like that stay in people’s minds a long time.
Prado, a member of the Barbaro team that received a Special Eclipse Award for its action surrounding the colt’s recovery, won some of racing’s biggest stakes.
He was on Round Pond when she won the Emirates Airline Breeders’ Cup Distaff (gr. I). Prado’s other grade I wins—10 in all for the year—included scores in the Coaching Club American Oaks on Wonder Lady Anne L, the Metropolitan Handicap on Silver Train, and the Man o’ War Stakes and Manhattan Handicap on Cacique.
Prado finished second to Garrett Gomez by 2006 purse earnings, with $19,765,013. He was the leading rider at Belmont Park’s spring/summer meeting and the Saratoga meeting, and tied for the lead with Eibar Coa at the Belmont fall meeting. Prado was presented the Mike Venezia Award for “extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship” by the New York Racing Association.
(Article appears in the January 27, 2007 issue of The Blood-Horse)