Prat wins Belmont at Big A riding title; Brown is top trainer

Flavien Prat, the reigning Eclipse Award winner as outstanding jockey, earned his first riding title at a New York Racing Association meet when posting 43 wins at the Belmont at the Big A spring-summer meet that ran from May 1 through July 6.

Statistics for the Belmont at the Big A spring-summer meet included the five-day Belmont Stakes racing restival and four-day July 4th racing festival, both held at Saratoga.

The 32-year-old France native enjoyed a major milestone at this meet as he notched his 2,000th North American victory on June 27 at the Big A, guiding Iron Max to the winner’s circle in one of five wins on the card.

He would post another five-win day on Saturday's card at Saratoga, highlighted by graded wins with Fionn in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational and with Obliteration in the Sanford (G3). Saturday’s wins marked the third consecutive July 4 weekend Prat has posted a five-win day, the last two coming on the Independence Day cards.

“The last few weeks I’ve had good things happen, and I try to take it all in,” said Prat, who is represented by Brad Pegram. “My agent and the support of trainers and owners and everybody that’s part of the crew are important.”

Prat’s wins included additional stakes success in the Bed o’ Roses (G2) with Ways and Means, Peter Pan (G3 with Hill Road, Manila (G3) with Zulu Kingdom, Westchester (G3) with Bishops Bay and listed Schuylerville with Kingsolver.

“Obviously I’m very grateful and proud, and it’s an achievement,” Prat said of his first riding title in the Empire State. “There’s a lot of people that supported me, and I feel very grateful.”

Prat spoke of his relationship with leading trainer Chad Brown, who trains three of Prat’s stakes winners this meet.

“When I decided to move east, he was my first supporter and has been very loyal to me,” Prat said. “He’s a top trainer and a world-class trainer. I’m very honored to work with him.”

In total, Prat’s mounts earned $4,047,540 from a 152: 43-29-22 record while he rode at a win rate of 28.29% and in-the-money rate of 61.84%.

Irad Ortiz Jr. finished second with 34 wins, and Dylan Davis was third with 31 wins.

The meet’s training title went to Brown for the ninth time in his career after a prosperous meet yielded 27 wins for the powerhouse stable.

“I’m very fortunate. I feel very fortunate that we have so many nice horses to work with,” Brown said. “My team does an unbelievable job, including with all of the logistics this meet, shipping horses from all different divisions to run at NYRA. I’m always just so amazed with the day-to-day fluidity of it. They just make things happen. I’m amazed with their teamwork and talent. All of the credit goes to them.”

Brown, 46, adds to previous Belmont spring-summer titles from 2016 to 2022 and in 2024. It was also his 34th training title at a NYRA circuit track.

Among Brown’s wins were a Grade 1 conquest in the Just a Game with Dynamic Pricing], the Bed o’ Roses with Ways and Means and Grade 3 wins in the Beaugay with Dynamic Pricing, Peter Pan with Hill Road and Manila with Zulu Kingdom.

In total, Brown’s horses banked $2,905,275 at the meet with an overall record of 112: 27-24-20, good for a win rate of 24.11% and in-the-money rate of 63.39%.

Linda Rice finished second with 24 wins, and Hall of Famer Bill Mott was third with 16 wins.

Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables claimed its 30th owners’ title at a NYRA meeting and its sixth in a Belmont spring-summer meet. Its 13 wins were highlighted by the stakes scores with Dynamic Pricing in the Just a Game and Beaugay and with Ways and Means in the Bed o’ Roses.

In all, Klaravich’s horses banked $1,161,000 through a 37: 13-3-8 record.

Linda Rice finished second with nine wins, and Repole Stable and Michael Dubb tied for third with seven wins each.

Live racing resumes Thursday at Saratoga for opening day of the 40-day Saratoga summer meet