Geroux moves tack from Fair Grounds to Santa Anita

Jockey Florent Geroux plans to relocate to California after spending the winter at Fair Grounds, he told Daily Racing Form on Sunday. Geroux expects to arrive at Santa Anita on Thursday and begin riding Friday.

Agent Matt Nakatani will represent Geroux in Southern California. Nakatani also handles the book for Umberto Rispoli, who remains sidelined with leg and ankle injuries after being unseated at Gulfstream Park on Jan. 24.

"Business has been a bit slow at Fair Grounds," Geroux said. "I'm winning, but I'm not riding a lot."

Geroux had won seven races from 33 mounts this year through Saturday, all at Fair Grounds. The 18-year veteran has won 2,319 races in North America since 2007, with a career-best 217 victories in 2016. His mounts earned a personal-high $21.4 million in 2018.

Santa Anita will be Geroux's first home base in Southern California. He owns five wins at the track since 2014, four of them in Grade 1 company – the 2014 Breeders' Cup Sprint on Work All Week, the 2019 Shoemaker Mile on Bolo, the 2021 Frank Kilroe Mile on Hit the Road and the 2023 Breeders' Cup Distaff on Idiomatic.