A thrilling finish unfolded at Santa Anita on December 31, 2023, as jockey Mirco Demuro rode Gas Me Up to an impressive victory in the Grade II Joe Hernandez Stakes. Starting from the back of the pack on the hillside turf course, Demuro’s strategic ride enabled Gas Me Up to secure the win at odds of 13-1, complicating the national jockeys’ standings.
The race’s purse of $200,000 saw Flavien Prat and his mount, Sumter, finish in a commendable second place. This crucial difference in earnings is significant for Prat, who is in a close contest with Irad Ortiz Jr. for the top spot in jockey earnings. Before the race, Ortiz led with $40,488,707, while Prat trailed at $40,229,713.
Earlier in the day, Prat did manage to boost his earnings by winning the $100,000 Blue Norther Stakes turf mile aboard La Ville Lumiere, contributing an additional $60,000 to his tally. Despite this, Ortiz maintained a lead of over $140,000 in unofficial counts by the end of the card.
As the leading jockey in North America for the upcoming 2024 Eclipse Awards, Prat continues to excel, holding the edge over Ortiz in stakes wins (75-65) and graded stakes wins (46-36). However, Ortiz leads in total wins with 351 to Prat’s 307.
Ortiz faced a challenging race, finishing seventh aboard the favorite Motorious, a mount he took over after Antonio Fresu sustained an injury. According to reports from the Daily Racing Form, Fresu is sidelined indefinitely due to a broken toe incurred during an earlier race at Santa Anita.
The victory for Gas Me Up adds another highlight to the training career of Peter Eurton, while Michael McCarthy continues to develop the promising La Ville Lumiere. The performance on the turf at Santa Anita not only showcased the skill of the riders but also underscored the competitive spirit of the ongoing jockeys’ championship.
As the racing season progresses, all eyes will be on Prat, who is scheduled to ride seven horses at Aqueduct on January 3, while Ortiz has no entries for that day. The jockeys’ battle remains intense as each race can dramatically shift the standings and earnings in this high-stakes sport.
