Stomach bug counts Prat out of Santa Anita opening day

Jockey Flavien Prat, who had mounts booked in five stakes races Saturday at Santa Anita Park, among them on La Brea (G1) favorite Bellafina, will sit out the card with a stomach bug.

Prat’s agent, Derek Lawson, said he’s not sure whether Prat's absence will extend into Sunday. But he had already taken the leading west coast rider off his next batch of morning workers including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile hero Storm the Court.

“He flew home from Europe yesterday,” Lawson said, with Prat overseas in part to renew his visa. “It’s too bad with Bellafina. He’s been up all night long. These guys don’t carry a lot of weight anyway.”

Prat, who had a chance to reach $20 million in earnings on the year with a good Saturday, has won 167 races this year. His 21 victories in the fall at Santa Anita tied Abel Cedillo for most of the meet, and going back to the summer he took Del Mar’s premier riding title.

Bellafina’s camp will be looking for a new rider aboard the 9-5 top morning line choice in the La Brea, for 3-year-old fillies. Victor Espinoza will inherit that mount.

“My health and business are both good,” said the 47-year-old Espinoza. “I’m excited to be back again and looking forward to winning as many races as I can.

“I’m focused on winning and I’ll go from there.”

Prat’s other stakes assignments Saturday were on Much Better in the Malibu Stakes (G1); Ocean Fury in the Mathis Brothers Mile (G2); Tiny Tina in the Robert J. Frankel (G3); and Bill in the Lady of Shamrock.

The 26-year-old from France won each of the Kentucky Derby (Country House), Queen's Plate (One Bad Boy) and Pacific Classic (Higher Power) in 2019, totaling more than 20 graded victories. That's not to mention multiple scores aboard Bellafina, who finished second last time in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.