Rush Bay, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, rallied from just off the pace and held off Purim in a long stretch duel to score a head victory in Saturday's $109,000 Opening Verse Handicap for 3-year-olds and up on the turf at Churchill Downs.
Favored Ever Elusive, hard ridden by Rafael Bejarano, angled six-wide at the top of the lane and caught 50-1 shot Malibu Mint in the final yards to notch a neck victory in Saturday's $110,200 Winning Colors for fillies and mares at Churchill Downs.
The Jockeys' Guild election to replace its 27-member senate is under way. Ballots, in both English and Spanish, were sent to about 1,000 voting members and are due June 3.
The California invader Record made his stakes debut a winning one for trainer Bob Baffert, capturing the $114,939 Derby Trial in late-running fashion on the opening day of the Churchill Downs spring meeting Saturday.
The California invader Record made his stakes debut a winning one for trainer Bob Baffert, capturing the $114,939 Derby Trial in late-running fashion on the opening day of the Churchill Downs spring meeting Saturday.
Javier Castellano became the second rider to receive a five-day suspension during Keeneland's 2006 spring meet when the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority ruled on an incident involving the 28-year-old jockey on Friday.
Keeneland established record total and average daily attendance figures during its 2006 spring race meet held April 7 to 28.
Kentucky stewards have suspended jockey Rafael Bejarano for five racing days, April 30 – May 5 (excluding May 1), as a result of the disqualification of his mount, Onlynurimagination, in Keeneland's second race Jockey Rafael Bejarano received a five day suspension from the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority on Thursday, after his horse bumped and forced another out on the final turn in Wednesday's second race at Keeneland. The 23-year-old rider said he will appeal the suspension, which would run from April 30 to May 5 and prevent him from riding in the Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). 26.
With owners Bruce Lunsford and Lansdon Robbins III looking on, Kentucky Derby (Grade I) contender First Samurai completed his major preparation for Saturday's $750,000-added Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) with a strong half-mile workout on Monday at Churchill Downs.
Rafael Bejarano missed Keeneland's card to ride nine mounts in Southern California Saturday, including Triple Crown candidate Point Determined in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I). The trip proved worthwhile when six of Bejarano's horses – four in succession – brought him to the winner's circle.
Fusao Sekiguchi's 3-year-old Mr. Sekiguchi, purchased for $8 million at the 2004 Keeneland September yearling sale, slipped through along the rail and went on to capture his first victory by three-quarters of a length as the 9-10 favorite in a field of seven maidens at Santa Anita Saturday.
Jockey Rafael Bejarano's biggest problem in winning the $150,000 Arcadia Handicap (gr. IIT) on the Santa Anita turf Saturday was trying to keep the Japanese-bred Silent Name patient as they waited for room on the far turn.
Rafael Bejarano, whose list of Kentucky Derby (gr. I) mounts grows each day, has been named by trainer Bob Baffert to ride Point Determined in the Santa Anita Derby (gr. I) April 8. Victor Espinoza, who was originally named to ride the colt, has a prior commitment that day aboard Balance in the Ashland Stakes (gr. I).
Rafael Bejarano, who rides Flashy Bull in Saturday's Florida Derby (gr. I), has been named as the new rider for First Samurai, replacing Edgar Prado. First Samurai is scheduled to make his next start in the April 15 Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (gr. I).
Favored Oonagh Maccool spotted her five rival fillies and mares a couple of lengths at the start of Saturday's $200,000 Rampart Handicap (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park but proved much the best in the drive to win easily at odds of 11-10.
Trainer Dale Romans, jockey Rafael Bejarano and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey earned individual honors in the 16th annual Kentucky Thoroughbred Media (KTM) awards presented to Kentucky racing's statistical leaders in 2005.
Alfred Corrado's Kentucky homebred 4-year-old filly Dynamite Lass rallied gamely through the stretch to wear down 13-10 favorite Olaya for a three-quarters of a length victory in Saturday's $100,00 The Very Handicap (gr. IIIT) going 1 7/16 miles on turf at Gulfstream Park.
Mister Fotis was all out to hold off Sir Greeley in a slight upset in the $189,000 Richter Scale Breeders' Cup Sprint Championship Handicap (gr. II) Saturday at Gulfstream Park as Silver Train, the TVG Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) champion, was not a factor.
The Brazilian-bred Einstein, given a clever front-running ride by Rafael Bejarano, held off Go Deputy in the stretch to win the $190,000 Gulfstream Breeders' Cup Turf (gr. IT) by a neck in his stakes debut Saturday in South Florida.
Jockey Edgar Prado, an Eclipse Award finalist for outstanding rider last year, will face 11 other riders in the Tarde de Jinetes de Campeones [Afternoon of Champion Jockeys], at Lima's Hipodromo de Monterrico on Tuesday.
Sabine Stable's Laurafina, making her first start since July 29, closed staunchly from the outside under Rafael Bejarano to win the $100,000 Frances A. Genter (gr. IIIT) for 3-year-old fillies on the Calder Race Course turf Saturday.
Andromeda's Hero overpowered his stablemate Seek Gold with a big move on the far turn and sped to victory in the $100,000 Fred W. Hooper Handicap (gr. III) Saturday at Calder Race Course, his first win in 10 starts.
Competing internationally for the first time, 23-year-old Rafael Bejarano rode to a fourth-place finish in the 19th World Super Jockey Series at Hanshin Race Course on Sunday.
Top jockeys Edgar Prado and Rafael Bejarano will represent North America in the 19th World Super Jockey Series at Japan's Hanshin Racecourse Dec. 3-4, said Joe Ferrer, Bejarano's agent. The riders traveled to Japan to participate in the competition that has attracted 14 jockeys from five different continents.
The 21-day fall meet at Churchill Downs, the first at the historic track since the completion of its $121 million renovation and the first since 2002 that was not limited by construction, concluded on Nov. 26 with gains in both on-track and total wagering and on-track attendance.
The 23-year-old Rafael Bejarano and 46-year-old veteran Mark Guidry rode to a tie in the seesaw race for the fall riding title at Churchill Downs on Saturday.
Therecomesatiger, ridden by Mark Guidry, passed early leader T.D. Vance in the stretch and drew away to a 1 3/4length victory in Sunday's $174,900 Commonwealth Turf for 3-year-olds at Churchill Downs.
Rafael Bejarano brought overlooked Catcominatcha through heavy traffic to prevail over a game High Cotton by a neck in the $116,700 Iroquois (gr. III) for 2-year-olds going a mile Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Keeneland reported Tuesday that attendance was up and on-track and all-source wagering fell slightly during the 17-day fall meet that ended Saturday at the Lexington, Ky. track.
Yankee Master carried meet leading jockey Rafael Bejarano to his fourth win of the afternoon in the $125,000 Woodford Reserve Bourbon Stakes for 2-year-olds Friday at Keeneland.
A nicely matched cast of 11 3-year-old fillies has passed the entry box to contest Keeneland's $125,000 Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) Friday. Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens stays aboard Martin Schwartz' French stakes winner Asi Siempre, grade I-placed already in this country and coming in off an impressive score over the course earlier in the meet.
Sweet Talker, ridden by Rafael Bejarano, prevailed by a nose in a three-horse photo finish Saturday at Keeneland to give trainer Helen Pitts her first graded stakes win in the $500,000 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup (gr. IT).
Twenty-three-year-old Rafael Bejarano won the 1,000th race of his career on Thursday when he piloted the Greg Foley-trained Northern Vacation to victory in the first race at Keeneland.
In his first start since February, the Chilean-bred outsider Host came from last on the backstretch to collar Vanderlin in deep stretch for a neck victory in the $600,000 Shadwell Turf Mile (gr. IT) at Keeneland Saturday.
Favored Silverfoot, ridden patiently by Rafael Bejarano, exploited an opening along the inside in the stretch run and pulled away for a 6 3/4-length romp in the $200,000 Kentucky Cup Turf (gr. IIIT) on the unique Kentucky Downs grass layout Saturday.
Even-money choice Shaniko, given a confident hand ride by Rafael Bejarano, disposed of pacesetter Ball Four approaching the furlong pole and drew off to a commanding 4 1/2-length victory in the $342,500 Kentucky Cup Classic (gr. II) at Turfway Park Saturday.
Tracy Farmer's favored Sun King overcame his outside post in a 14-horse field to easily win the $750,000 Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II) under Rafael Bejarano.
Rafael Bejarano, who was sidelined with a fractured ankle less than one week into the Saratoga meet, will return to racing this weekend. The 24-year-old jockey received clearance to begin galloping horses in Kentucky on Tuesday and worked several Wednesday morning.
Jockey Rafael Bejarano, who ranks among the top riders by earnings this year, will miss at least six weeks of competition as a result of a fractured ankle suffered in a gate accident prior to Monday's fifth race at Saratoga.
Leading Kentucky rider Rafael Bejarano was injured in a starting gate accident at Saratoga prior to Monday's fifth race. While x-rays showed no breakage in his right foot, doctors stated that ligament damage is possible.
Tracy Farmer's Sun King, fitted with blinkers by trainer Nick Zito, went gate to wire to win the $300,000 Leonard Richards (gr. III) for 3-year-olds by 5 3/4 lengths Sunday at Delaware Park.
Graded stakes winners Sun King and High Limit highlight a tough, compact field of seven in Saturday's $300,000 Leonard Richards Stakes (gr. III) at Delaware Park. The 1 1/16-mile contest marks the first start for the duo since finishing fourth and fifth, respectively, in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I).
Riders from the Jockey School of Peru met at River Downs with their former instructor Monday to honor the achievements of Rafael Bejarano and raise money for their alma mater.
The spring meet at Churchill Downs, the first race meet since the completion of its ambitious $121 million renovation, ended its 52-day run on Sunday with double-digit gains in on-track attendance and wagering and a slight decline in off-track betting.
Several of the top jockeys in the country will converge on River Downs in Ohio July 11 for the first "Peruvian All-Stars" challenge to benefit the Jockey School of Peru.
Favored Adieu dueled with Folklore from the break and drew away for a 1 ¼-length victory Sunday afternoon in the $109,500 Astoria for 2-year-old fillies at 5 1/2 furlongs at Belmont Park.
A field of seven 3-year-olds passed the entry box for Saturday's $200,000 Northern Dancer Breeders' Cup Stakes on Churchill Downs' Stephen Foster (gr. I) Day card. Derby Trial Stakes winner over the strip Don't Get Mad, and WinStar Farm's Unbridled Energy top the field set to run 1 1/16 miles.
Round Pond, who has been out of action since winning the April 15 Fantasy Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park, highlights a solid field of six 3-year-old fillies entered in Saturday's $250,000 Acorn (gr. I), going one mile at Belmont Park.
Pinpoint wanted the lead and Rafael Bejarano made sure he got it, controlling the pace and having plenty left for the stretch run in the $100,000 Sir Barton Stakes Saturday at Pimlico.
A field of nine 3-year-olds passed the entry box for Saturday's Sir Barton Stakes on the Preakness Stakes (gr. I) undercard at Pimlico Race Course. Highweight Killenaule, third in last year's Remsen Stakes (gr. II) behind winner Rockport Harbor, and undefeated Pinpoint, under the second-high impost, lead the field.
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