Flavien Prat

4th-Santa Anita, $65,000, Alw (NW2$X), Opt. Clm ($62,500), 6-18, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:09.46, ft, neck. DR. SCHIVEL (c, 3, Violence--Lil Nugget, by Mining for Money), winner of the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity when last seen at the races last September, made a promising return to action Friday afternoon, taking a six-furlong Santa Anita allowance in good style. Off at odds of 6-5 after touching 4-5 in the latter stages of the wagering, the bay colt was away from the one hole without incident and was settled in third position by...

Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) worked five furlongs in 1:01.60 under Flavien Prat at 7:45 a.m. at Santa Anita Saturday morning in preparation for the June 5 GI Belmont S. The colt worked in tandem with SW Liam's Pride (Liam's Map). "I was very happy with the breeze," said trainer Doug O'Neill. "I got him in 1:01 and out [six furlongs] in 1:13 and change." The winner of the GII Louisiana Derby Mar. 20, the dark bay most recently finished third at 5-1 odds in the May 1 Kentucky Derby. Prat,...

Six months ago, Klaravich Stables' Domestic Spending (GB) (Kingman {GB}) was the leader of a very strong group of turf sophomores, having won the valuable Saratoga Derby over the summer before a year-ending defeat of Smooth Like Strait (Midnight Lute) in the GI Hollywood Derby. But while that one was given his winter's rest, Robert and Lawana Low's Colonel Liam (Liam's Map), a progressive sort who finished within three-quarters of a length of Domestic Spending at the Spa last summer, had assumed 'King of the Hill' status, courtesy of a...

Du Jour worked out a perfect trip under Flavien Prat to provide Bob Baffert with a rare graded stakes winner on the turf. A debut second on the Del Mar lawn last November behind next-out stakes winner Cathkin Peak (Ire) (Alhebayeb {Ire}), the bay was third when switched to the Santa Anita main track Jan. 3 behind subsequent GIII Robert B. Lewis S. runner-up Roman Centurian (Empire Maker). He broke through back on the lawn in Arcadia Feb. 19, and doubled up after setting pace in a Mar. 28 optional...

After four straight tough beats, speedster Blowout opened up a big lead early and dug down late to belatedly make the grade. A two-time listed winner at three, Blowout was also either second or third that year--always beaten less than a length--in the GIII Florida Oaks, GIII Lake George S., GII Lake Placid S. and GIII Valley View S. Second again in a Saratoga allowance last August, the bay was beaten that margin by stablemate Viadera (GB) (Bated Breath {GB}) in Belmont's GIII Noble Damsel S. Sept. 26, and by...

The heavy chalk with an eye on the GI Breeders' Cup Mile in five weeks, Mo Forza more than delivered in the GII City of Hope Mile S. As per his usual style, he wasn't swift out of the gate, but settled confidently on the outside in fifth and had an air of controlled power as he let the race unfold. Blitzkrieg (War Front) was hustled to the lead as Bob and Jackie hounded him and Sharp Samurai threatened in third. The order remained the same as the first quarter...

Get Her Number (Dialed In) and Rombauer (Twirling Candy), also-rans in the Del Mar Juvenile Turf Sept. 7, reported home one-two to spring an upset in Saturday's GI American Pharoah S., a 'Win and You're In' for the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile at Keeneland. It was another gap back to the favored maiden Spielberg (Union Rags) in third. Nicely away from gate six, Get Her Number set up camp just to the outside of longshot Dyn O Mite (Goldencents) as Spielberg settled in an apparently good spot, just behind the...

During these unprecedented times of global pandemic and spectator-free stands, the 81st Del Mar summer meet wrapped up Monday with a gripping battle to the wire between Flavien Prat and Umberto Rispoli for leading jockey honors. They were tied at 49 races apiece going into the GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity, with Prat winning on Dr. Schivel (Violence) and Rispoli finishing fourth on Scooby (Fast Anna). It was the penultimate race of the meet and left Prat alone atop the rider standings with 50 wins and $2,968,918 in earnings. It...

Considered one of the leading members of her division before she went to the sidelines this spring Donna Veloce (Uncle Mo) has reemerged as a serious candidate for the Sept. 4 GI Kentucky Oaks. After finishing second as the favorite in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies and again in the GI Starlet S., Donna Veloce began her 3-year-old campaign with a win over Speech (Mr. Speaker) in the GIII Santa Ysabel  S.Mar. 8 at Santa Anita. Sidelined with what trainer Simon Callaghan called "a little minor thing," she has...

Have saddle, will travel--a well-worn aphorism. But is it a wise one to emulate in this time of the coronavirus? Within the past week, Flavien Prat, Victor Espinoza, Eduard Rojas Fernandez, Luis Saez and Martin Garcia have all tested positive for the virus--a chain of events that can be traced back to Los Alamitos over the July 4 weekend, said Derek Lawson, Prat's agent. "There's no question that that's where it happened," he said, of Prat's infection occurring at the Southern California facility. But against a broader surge in coronavirus...

According to his agent, Derek Lawson, top California rider Flavien Prat has tested positive for the coronavirus. Because he left California to ride Saturday at Keeneland, Prat was required to take a test Sunday before being allowed to ride at Del Mar. The test results were positive and Prat had to take off all his mounts. "These athletes, they know their bodies," Lawson said. "When I picked him up at the airport, he said, 'I think I have it.'" Lawson said that Prat is feeling fine and will return to...

6th-Santa Anita, $51,000, Msw, 6-6, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 1:16.13, ft. CEZANNE (c, 3, Curlin--Achieving, by Bernardini) topped last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale at $3.65-million after breezing in :10 flat (see below) and started off his career on the right hoof here with a debut graduation. Away well from the one-hole, the hulking bay engaged in a three-way battle for second, hot on the leader's heels through a :22.19 opening quarter, Drawing even with the pacesetter on the backstretch, the 2-5 chalk shrugged off his stubborn foe in mid-stretch and rolled...