Gary Stevens Picks Up BC Mount

Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens, who has been sidelined since having knee replacement surgery in July, has been booked to ride Martin Schwartz’s Sivoliere (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf next Friday. The bay filly, last seen finishing third in Deauville’s G3 Longines Prix du Calvados for Jean-Claude Rouget Aug. 23, will be making her first start for trainer Chad Brown at Santa Anita. Brown saddled Schwartz’s Zagora (Fr) (Green Tune) to a victory in the 2012 GI Breeders’ Cup F/M Turf here. Schwartz and Stevens teamed up to take the 2004 GI Beverly D. S. with Angara (GB), one year after Stevens fell off Storming Home (GB) in the GI Arlington Million. “I feel like we got the band back together. I couldn’t be more excited”, said Schwartz. Stevens, who won last year’s GI Breeders’ Cup Classic aboard Mucho Macho Man (Macho Uno) and the GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Beholder (Henny Hughes), added, “I always hoped I would be able to ride in the Breeders Cup this year, but I knew that I wasn’t going to do it unless I was 110%. I’m so grateful to have owners and trainers that believe in me.” The 51-year-old concluded, “Nothing can top the Breeders’ Cup I had last year. But being able to go out there and ride at the highest level, for great people only three months after having a new knee put in, well it’s right up there.”