Ramon Vazquez

The 2025-2026 Oaklawn Park racing season concluded Saturday with across-the-board gains, the track announced Tuesday. Across 62 race days, Oaklawn conducted 627 races, an increase from 621 races last season, while distributing $54,477,160 in purses with a daily average purse of $878,663. With an average of just over 10 races per day, Oaklawn put an average of 8.81 starters in the gate per race. The average daily handle rose to $6,938,183, an increase over last year's $6,737,332, generating a total meet handle of $430,167,353--surpassing last season's total of $417,714,571. On-track...

After running second to another 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' in Munnings Challenge (Munnings) his debut Apr. 11, second-time starter Doublecents (Goldencents) stepped up to earn the moniker himself Saturday on closing day at Oaklawn Park, absolutely steam-rolling a field of maidens to become his sire's third 'Rising Star'. Unveiled going six furlongs where he had to sit off the pace and try to pull back that leader, Saturday's 3-5 favorite chose a different tactic, opting instead to hit the front himself and play 'catch me if you can'...

Jockey Ramon Vazquez reached an Oaklawn Park milestone on last Friday's card when he captured the sixth race, becoming the 11th rider in the track's history to reach 500 local victories. Riding regularly at the venue since 2012, Vazquez steered Cur Non (Coal Front) in a $16,000 claiming sprint in what was his second win on the card and ninth in the last three racing days. He had first call on five winners the previous Monday to equal a local career high. "I had never been here before [having been...

Lone Star Park wrapped up its 29th Spring Thoroughbred Racing season Sunday, July 13, handling a daily average of $247,453 in Live On-Track handle and a daily average of $162,976 in export handle over the 41-day meet, which were both increases over 2024 figures by 2% and 5% respectively. Attendance for the meet increased 7% over 2024. Jockey Ramon Vazquez ended the meet with 55 wins, taking the leading jockey title for the second time after having won the 2020 title with 58 races. Among his biggest wins, the veteran...

Valentine Candy (Justify) put a sweet punctuation to his year with a dominant display in the Advent S. on Oaklawn's opening day. Victorious against a well-met field of Saratoga maidens in July, the chestnut tired badly in the GI Hopeful S. after a round of bumper cars soon after the break took him off the pace. He resurfaced at Keeneland in October with two starts--a second against first-level optional claimers on the seventh and then running third Oct. 28 in the Bowman Mill S. Sent away at 9-5 in good...

Trainer Tim Yakteen reported GI Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move (Practical Joke) was in good order the day after winning his return from a nearly six-month layoff on Friday. "He's in great shape," Yakteen said Saturday morning. Returning in an allowance going a mile on dirt, Practical Move stalked a lively pace and then drew off in the stretch to notch a comfortable four-length victory under Ramon Vazquez. The winning time was 1:35.14, which earned a 98 Beyer Speed Figure according to Daily Racing Form. Yakteen and Practical Move's...

Pin Oak Stud's Boltage (c, 2, Bolt d'Oro) made a smashing impression in his first start on the turf and going a distance of ground Thursday evening at Del Mar, charging home with big, round strides to graduate by 5 1/2 lengths, good for 'TDN Rising Star' honors. And an electrifying effort it was. Drawn towards the outside in a field of 10, the March-foaled bay bounced very alertly and was involved in bit of an early tussle for the lead with longshot Details Matter (Coast Guard) before ceding the...

'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence)'s dominant sophomore debut in Saturday's GII Fountain of Youth S. at Gulfstream is understandably going to generate glowing headlines because of his kingpin status as the comebacking divisional champion. But that sharp win shouldn't overshadow the thoroughly convincing GII San Felipe S. score by Practical Move (Practical Joke) at Santa Anita, which on its own terms was emphatic enough to merit a significant reshuffling of the deck of GI Kentucky Derby contenders. The Fountain of Youth S. has evolved into somewhat of a "trap" race...

Jockey Ramon Vazquez, a 38-year-old native of Puerto Rico, finished with 25 victories through the 18-day stand Santa Anita Autumn meet to capture the riding title, finishing five wins ahead of runner-up Juan Hernandez. Vazquez, who started riding in California in March after stints at Prairie Meadows and Oaklawn, took his first-ever Santa Anita title on the meet's closing day Sunday. "I'm grateful to be here and to the owners and trainers who have supported me," said Vazquez. "I'm blessed, this is big for me because not everybody who comes...

Mr. Wireless had done very little wrong this season, and showed up once again Saturday to collect his second consecutive graded victory in Mountaineer's West Virginia Derby. After finding himself in front heading into the first turn, Mr. Wireless was soon headed by Kinetic Sky and Bourbon Thunder as the duo took up position to his inside while Warrant was a couple of lengths back in fourth through an initial quarter in :23.82. Latched onto the outside flank of Bourbon Thunder following a :47.86 half, the 8-5 favorite drew on...