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LEADING MAN PRAT ROLLS A NATURAL SIX AS HE BOOTS HOME BALTAS-TRAINED DISAPPEARING ACT IN SANTA ANITA’S SEVENTH RACE ON FRIDAY
A Prat Pick 6
ARCADIA, Calif. (March 12, 2021)–Although he finished second in Friday’s first race, Santa Anita’s leading rider Flavien Prat was very much undeterred, as he proceeded to boot home the winners of the next six consecutive races, culminating with a masterful ride going a mile and one quarter on turf in the seventh race of the day aboard the Richard Baltas-trained Disappearing Act–his final mount of the day.
“It’s been a great day, I’m very fortunate, I was on good horses today and things turned out my way,” said Prat, 28, who now leads Santa Anita’s Winter/Spring Meet jockey standings by a 56-42 margin over Juan Hernandez.
Does winning number six in-a-row at a mile and a quarter down the hillside turf course make this accomplishment any more special?
“When you win six, it doesn’t really matter, but it feels good,” said Prat. “The turf course is really good. With the rain we’ve had, I thought they did a crazy job getting it in shape and it’s been a pleasure to ride on it. I thought I had some good chances today, but how many times have I thought I had a good chance and come back with nothing?
“Things have to go your way and some things are out of my hands, but there are days that no matter what you do, it’s going to be the right thing, so you have to take advantage of it because it’s not always like this.”
Fifth at the rail and full of run a quarter mile from home, Prat swung four deep at the top of the stretch and Disappearing Act held off a stiff challenge from Witch Moon and Hernandez to prevail by a hard-fought head.
Off as the even money favorite in a field of eight maiden fillies and mares three and up, Disappearing Act, who is owned and bred in Kentucky by BHMFR, LLC, paid $4.20 to win and covered the mile and one quarter over a turf listed as “good” in 2:05.25.
Prat’s earlier winners on Friday were: R2 #6 Dr. Hoffman ($3.20); R3 #2 Ippodamia’s Girl ($16.00); R4 #7 Missy P. ($2.80); R5 #7 Burnin Turf ($3.80); R6 #3 Rather Nosy ($4.00) and R7 #8 Disappearing Act ($4.20).
A two-time leading rider at Santa Anita’s Winter/Spring stand, Prat, who was born on Aug. 4, 1992 in Melun, France, becomes the first Santa Anita jockey to win six consecutive races since Laffit Pincay, Jr. did it on March 14, 1987–en route to winning a record seven races on the day.
Prat becomes the 10th jockey to win six races in one day at Santa Anita, joining Bill Shoemaker (Feb. 23, 1962); Pincay (twice, on Feb. 17, 1973 & March 4, 1981); Steve Valdez (Oct. 15, 1973); Sandy Hawley (twice, on Feb. 20, 1976 & March 26, 1976); Darrel McHargue (twice, on March 5, 1978 & Oct. 25, 1979); Patrick Valenzuela (Oct. 21, 1988); Martin Pedroza (Oct. 31, 1992); Corey Nakatani (April 23, 2000) and Rafael Bejarano (April 8, 2006).
With Prat named to ride eight horses, racing resumes with a nine-race card on Saturday. First post time is at 12:30 p.m.
Santa Anita Press Release, Benoit Photo, Flavien Prat
