Jockeys' choice: Ride at Saratoga or on the road

Aug 26th, 10
It’s a given that every jockey wants to ride at Saratoga Race Course, but occasionally — usually on weekends — jockeys might leave for a day to ride one or more stakes horses elsewhere.

It’s a calculated risk, but one that both jockeys and their agents may consider worth taking; sometimes for immediate benefit and sometimes for long-term benefit.

Usually when jockeys leave their “home track,” it’s just for approximately one to three mounts in stakes races. But they might be giving up riding in seven to nine races, including a stake or two, at their own track.

“It’s real simple,” said Mike Sellito, agent for jockey Kent Desormeaux. “Most of the time you go out of town for a horse that’s either a horse you’ve been riding and winning stakes on, or it’s for a customer that you regularly ride for. It’s a pretty easy decision.”

Jockeys never need to worry about transportation costs, as owners of the horses jockeys will ride for always pay those.

Desormeaux, a Hall of Fame rider, went to Arlington Park in Chicago on Saturday to ride favored Paddy O’Prado in the $400,000 Secretariat, contender Treat Gently in the $750,000 Beverly D and contender Besitos in the $62,300 Hatoof Stakes. He had a pretty good day, as Paddy O’Prado won, Treat Gently placed fifth and Besitos placed second.

For the most part, jockeys receive 10 percent of the owner’s share when their horse wins, five percent of the owner’s share for second- or third-place finishes and, approximately, $75 to $100 for lower places, depending on the state and/or track. That means Desormeaux earned nearly $25,000 personally, not counting his fee to Sellito.

Of course, bad luck happens sometimes, and the winnings can end up being not so much as if the jockey had stayed at his home base.

“You don’t worry about that,” Sellito said. “It’s a regular customer, a horse you’re riding regularly. It’s a no-brainer.”

This summer, journeyman jockey Mike Luzzi has struggled to get mounts at Saratoga. Through Sunday, he had 36 mounts, with two wins, six second and three thirds. Twice during this summer — once while he was riding at Belmont Park and the other while he was riding at Saratoga — Luzzi opted to ride in stakes races at Finger Lakes.

It’s paid off nicely. The first time, he rode Ibboyee to victory in the $161,600 New York Derby for trainer Todd Pletcher. The next time, he earned a win aboard Propensity in an $8,000 claiming race and a second aboard Ruffino in the $50,000 Genesee Valley Breeders’ Handicap for trainer Jim Bond. So, his trip to Finger Lakes for Bond earned him $980 personally, but it wasn’t just the money Luzzi, a winner of more than 3,000 career races, was thinking about.

“Jimmy Bond, we don’t ride much for him anymore, so the opportunity came up and we took advantage because you’re trying to better yourself for the future with him,” Luzzi’s agent, Kevin Meyocks, said.

“(Bond) used to use him a lot, but he hasn’t lately,” Meyocks added. “Just by going there, it’s a way to get us on his radar screen.”

Sometimes the pros and cons between staying or going out of town are more even. Then, Sellito said, you weigh other factors.

“The big part is who you ride regularly for — if you’re riding for a certain outfit for the whole meet (rather than) someone you don’t ride that much for,” Sellito said. “There are a few things that go into it, but it’s usually cut and dried.”

Meyocks said the most important thing to remember is that everybody from the owners down wants to win and make money.