Four jockeys who stood out during Breeders’ Cup Weekend 2020

The extravaganza known as the Breeders’ Cup was another smashing success in 2020. We witnessed championship performances, sentimental wins, and track record-setting races, as well as some superb rides from the multitude of underrated jockeys.

Below is the quartet of pilots that made the biggest impression on me at Keeneland over the weekend.

Pierre-Charles Boudot

The Frenchman made the most of his pick-up mounts at Keeneland to say the least. Boudot booted home a pair of winners that went postward at big prices.

He followed up his score atop Filly and Mare Turf (G1) starlet Audaraya at 17-1 odds with a triumph aboard 73-1 outsider Order of Australia in the Mile (G1). I would guess that the 27-year-old will have a lot of mounts in the states in the coming years.

Luis Saez

This hard-working pilot was responsible for just one winner from his 12 weekend assignments, Essential Quality in the Juvenile (G1), but he did guide five additional runners who finished in the top-three at Keeneland on Saturday.

Saez’s horses finished runner-up in the Distaff (G1), Dirt Mile (G1), Filly and Mare Sprint (G1), and Sprint (G1), while he came home third in the Turf Sprint (G1), too. I would consider that to be an excellent weekend of riding.

Irad Ortiz Jr.

Multiple Eclipse Award winner completed his Breeders’ Cup mounts with a 9-2-1-1 line. He steered home the sensational Golden Pal to a victory in the Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) on Friday, prior to deftly guiding Whitmore to a fantastic score in the Sprint on Saturday.

Ortiz added to his mark aboard Dirt Mile third-placer Sharp Samurai, as well as Classic (G1) runner-up Improbable.

John Velazquez

Second-leading money earner in Breeders’ Cup history had only six total mounts over the weekend, but he made up for his lack of quantity by guiding home two of the highest-quality winners.

He was on sensational Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) heroine Gamine, before capping the fantastic weekend with a front-running ride on Authentic in the Classic.