Reigning Eclipse Award jockey Flavien Prat has had remarkable weeks as a rider but collecting three Breeders' Cup victories and the coveted Bill Shoemaker Award as outstanding jockey of the event surely ranks near the top.
On Friday, Prat guided the undefeated Hughes to a win in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). On Saturday, Prat won the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) with Ways and Means and the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) aboard Further Ado.
The panel of racing experts voted Prat Jockey of the Week October 26-November 1.
Prat began the week at his home track of Belmont Park on Wednesday before travelling to Kentucky for the Breeders' Cup with four races for Future Stars on Friday.
Hall of Famer, Bob Baffert gave a leg up to Prat on Hughes in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). Hughes went off as the 4-5 favorite in the scratched down field of six going a mile and one-sixteenth.
Under Prat, Hughes tracked the field in second but as the field entered the far turn, Hughes began to gain the advantage. At the top of the stretch, Hughes was edging away but Coach Pope with Jose Ortiz and American History with Hall of Famer Johnny Velazquez mounted a serious challenge. The flashy 2-year-old found another gear posting his fifth career win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:42.27. Hughes is expected to be the early favorite for the Kentucky Derby (G1).
On Saturday, Prat had the call aboard Ways and Means for five-time Eclipse Award trainer Chad Brown in the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1). Off as the even-money favorite, the 5-year-old Ways and Means broke from post position two in the field of 11 racing in fifth. At the top of the stretch, Ways and Means took control cruising home for a dominate 6-1/4 lengths win in 1:21.76 for seven furlongs.
Prat next teamed up with two-time Eclipse Award trainer Brad Cox aboard even-money favorite Further Ado in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) for 3-year-olds and up. Prat and Further Ado, the only 3-year-old in the field, hooked up with Owen Almighty under Luis Saez at the top of the stretch. The two battled every inch of the stretch with Further Ado prevailing by a nose in 1:34.50.
Based on Prat's three wins and points awarded for second through fourth place finishes, he was named the recipient of the prestigious Bill Shoemaker Award as the outstanding jockey of the event for the second time having also won the award in 2024.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Junior Alvarado who won the Classic (G1), Kendrick Carmouche who won the Mile (G1) for his first Breeders' Cup win, Tyler Gaffalione who won the Juvenile Fillies (G1), Juan Hernandez with a win in the Turf Sprint (G1) for his first Breeders' Cup win and Jose Ortiz with two wins, the Distaff (G1) and the Filly and Mare Turf (G1)
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