Keeneland: Prat, Cox, Walsh, Calumet earn spring meet crowns

The races for Keeneland leading jockey, trainer and owner were as competitive as the racing itself.

The battle for leading rider seesawed in the closing days between Luis Saez, Jose Ortiz, Irad Ortiz Jr. and Flavien Prat, currently the top four riders nationally by earnings.

Flavien Prat won five races during the final two days of the meet to push his total to 20 and secure his first Keeneland leading rider title. His record was punctuated by three-win days on April 8 and April 24 and victories with Extra Añejo in the Commonwealth (G3) and Carl Spackler in the Maker’s Mark Mile (G1).

Luis Saez and Jose Ortiz tied for second place in the standings with 18 wins each. Saez recorded two three-win days, on April 12 and April 18, and a triumph in the Jenny Wiley (G1) with Choisya. Ortiz’s meet was highlighted by wins in the Appalachian (G2) with Nitrogen, the Doubledogdare (G3) with Gin Gin and the Ben Ali with Tennessee Lamb.

Irad Ortiz Jr. finished third with 16 wins, capped by the Lexington (G3) aboard Gosger, the Limestone with Shisospicy and the Bewitch (G3) with Forever After All.

The race for leading trainer by Brad Cox, Wesley Ward and Brendan Walsh also went down to the wire, with Walsh and Cox each notching a win on closing day to share the title with 10 wins apiece.

Walsh celebrated his first Keeneland training title, boosted by three stakes wins: the Bewitch with Forever After All, the Lexington with Gosger and the Doubledogdare with Gin Gin.

For Cox, it was his second spring meet training title and seventh Keeneland title overall.

Ward finished second with nine wins.

Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm won five races, including two stakes, to be the spring meet’s leading owner. It is the second leading owner title for Calumet under Kelley’s ownership. Calumet won the Doubledogdare with Gin Gin and the Ben Ali with Tennessee Lamb.