Jockey Rafael Bejarano, second to Eclipse Award-winning jockey Garrett Gomez in the Santa Anita rider standings heading into today’s eight-race program, is on five or six live horses today and could have a big afternoon, putting a dent in Gomez’s nine-win lead. Joel Rosario is 13 back of Gomez and only four behind Bejarano.
I erred Wednesday when I wrote that Gomez would not be going back to ride fulltime at Keeneland this spring. He will in fact be leaving to ride the Keeneland meet that begins April 3 but will be here the following day to ride Pioneerof the Nile in the $750,000 Santa Anita Derby.
So that means Bejarano and Rosario both have shots to win the title with 19 days left in the winter-spring meet. Bejarano has won the past five SoCal riding titles since relocating to the Southland fulltime in 2008.
