Flavien Prat visits the winner’s circle aboard Catch a Wave after Race 7 (NYRA/Coglianese)
By Christian Abdo – NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Jockey Flavien Prat celebrated Independence Day by posting five wins from eight mounts on Thursday’s nine-race card at Belmont at the Big A.
The 31-year-old native of Melun, Seine-et-Marne, France also won aboard 5-of-8 mounts last Fourth of July at Belmont Park. Prat said he was equally as pleased this year to deliver victories for four different trainers.
“It’s been a great day. I’m riding a good quality of horses for the right people,” said Prat. “I just try to focus on one race at a time and right now I’m riding good-quality horses, so I’m very grateful.”
Prat kicked off the card with a win in Race 1, taking a 5 1/2-furlong maiden aboard first-time-starter Italian Soiree [No. 5, $7.50], a juvenile filly trained by John Terranova, II.
Prat earned his second win of the day aboard the favored Headline Numbers [No. 6, $5.50*], a promising sophomore daughter of Gun Runner who took a one-turn mile maiden to win on debut for trainer Chad Brown, in Race 4. The next race, he guided the Rudy Rodriguez-conditioned Call Her Bluff [No. 6, $12] to win a starter optional claimer over the same course and distance, in Race 5.
In Race 6, Prat made it three wins in a row as Outlaw Kid [No. 4, $10.80] set a six-furlong outer turf course record of 1:06.73 in an optional claiming triumph for trainer George Weaver.
Prat returned to the winner’s circle for a fourth-straight race with Catch a Wave [No. 6, $5.70*] closing to win an 11-furlong inner turf allowance, marking his fifth and final win on the day, along with a second score in tandem with four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, in Race 7.
Prat, who netted a perfect in-the-money day through a record of 8-5-2-1, credited his agent Brad Pegram for his work in finding and booking strong mounts.
“My agent is doing a great job and sometimes you have good days like this and sometimes it’s not as good, but you have to enjoy it when it’s good like this,” he said.
Live racing resumes Friday at Belmont at the Big A with a nine-race card featuring the Grade 2, $200,000 Brooklyn in Race 8. First post is 1:05 p.m. Eastern.
