Erik Asmussen, Franco Share Jockey of the Week Honors

The 2024 Eclipse Award winner as Outstanding Apprentice Jockey Erik Asmussen led the nation in wins for the week with 12 while Manny Franco recorded two stakes wins including the Mother Goose (G2). The panel of racing experts were tied in the voting leading to Jockey of the Week honors for both Erik Asmussen and Manny Franco. At his home track of Remington Park, Erik Asmussen had another remarkable week posting multiple wins each race day. Riding for his father, Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Erik won three races on Wednesday and two races on Thursday. Friday's four-win day included the early double, Race 5 and Race 7. Saturday's three-win day again started with the early double ending with a win in Race 5. All wins for the week were for his father, Steve Asmussen. That dynamic jockey/trainer duo boasts a 21% win percentage. Asmussen is currently at the top of the jockey standings at Remington Park with 71 wins over David Cabrera with 48. The meet ends December 19. On the heels of his sensational Saratoga meet, Manny Franco continues to ride in top form at his home track of Belmont Park. On Saturday, trainer Miguel Clement gave a leg up to Franco aboard Blazing Tiger in the Carle Place Stakes. Off at odds of 8-1 in the field of eight 3-year-olds, Blazing Tiger raced last until the far turn when Franco started to guide Blazing Tiger through traffic. Blazing Tiger collared race favorite Doubting Thomas with Jorge Ruiz to win by a head in 1:09.55 for six furlongs on the all-weather track. Riding for duel Eclipse Award trainer Brad Cox, Franco was aboard 5-1 Tap to Open in the Mother Goose (G2) for three-year-old fillies. Breaking from post position two, Tap to Open raced mid-pack until the top of the stretch when Franco guided Tap to Open to an opening on the rail drawing away from her seven rivals for a 3-1/4 length win in 1:41.72 for the mile and one-sixteenth dirt contest. It was Franco's first win in the prestigious Mother Goose (G2). Much like Erik Asmussen at Remington Park, Franco sits atop the jockey standings at Belmont Park with 50 wins with Flavien Prat in second with 34. Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included Junior Alvarado with two stakes wins at Belmont Park, Leonel Reyes who won six races on a single card at Gulfstream Park and Walter Rodriguez who recorded his first career graded stakes win in the River City (G3) at Churchill Downs.