Gabriel Saez
Encyclopedia
Gabriel Saez is a Panamanian horse racing
jockey
. He began his riding career in his native country in 2004, becoming the leading apprentice jockey in 2005. Saez moved to the United States
in February, 2006, and almost instantly became Delaware Park Racetrack's leading jockey that same year. He won his first race as an apprentice in the U.S., and then his first race as a journeyman.
in the 2008 Kentucky Derby
and came under sharp criticism when Eight Belles was euthanized
after she'd crossed the finish line, a very game second to Big Brown
. In cool-down, she collapsed due to fracture
s in both front ankles. In a letter to the Kentucky Racing Authority, PETA
claimed that the horse
was "doubtlessly" injured during the race, and therefore Saez bore some responsibility for the injury and euthanization.
Eight Belles' trainer, Larry Jones
, has vigorously defended Saez, saying "We have photographs 50 to 70 yards from where this happened and the horse had her ears up . . . If this horse had anything going on with her at the time, she didn't know it. If the horse never had a clue, there's no way the jockey could have had a clue."
The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority did not find any evidence of wrongdoing by Saez.
Saez won the horseraceinsider.com "I’ve Got Your PETA Right Here Insider Award" in 2008 for achieving a redemptive moment with his dramatically heady victory aboard Eclipse finalist Proud Spell in Saratoga's
Alabama Stakes
.
The day before the Kentucky Derby, Saez rode Proud Spell to a win in the Kentucky Oaks
.
aboard prerace favorite Friesan Fire
and finished 18th. At the 2009 Preakness Stakes
, Saez again jockeyed Friesan Fire, and finished 10th.
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Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
. He began his riding career in his native country in 2004, becoming the leading apprentice jockey in 2005. Saez moved to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in February, 2006, and almost instantly became Delaware Park Racetrack's leading jockey that same year. He won his first race as an apprentice in the U.S., and then his first race as a journeyman.
2008
Gabriel rode Eight BellesEight Belles
Eight Belles was a thoroughbred racehorse owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms. She finished second to winner Big Brown in the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby held at Churchill Downs, a race run by only thirty-nine fillies in the past...
in the 2008 Kentucky Derby
2008 Kentucky Derby
The 2008 Kentucky Derby was the 134th running of the Kentucky Derby. The race took place on May 3, 2008 with 157,770 in attendance, the second largest in Derby history. Post time was 6:15 p.m. EDT and was televised in the United States on the NBC television network.Big Brown won the race by nearly...
and came under sharp criticism when Eight Belles was euthanized
Animal euthanasia
Animal euthanasia is the act of putting to death painlessly or allowing to die, as by withholding extreme medical measures, an animal suffering from an incurable, especially a painful, disease or condition. Euthanasia methods are designed to cause minimal pain and distress...
after she'd crossed the finish line, a very game second to Big Brown
Big Brown
Big Brown is a retired champion American Thoroughbred racehorse and winner of the 2008 Kentucky Derby and 2008 Preakness Stakes. Bred by Dr. Gary B. Knapp's Monticule Farms in Lexington, Kentucky, he won his first five race starts. He was sired by Grade III winner Boundary, a son of North American...
. In cool-down, she collapsed due to fracture
Fracture
A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.The word fracture is often applied to bones of living creatures , or to crystals or crystalline materials, such as gemstones or metal...
s in both front ankles. In a letter to the Kentucky Racing Authority, PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
claimed that the horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
was "doubtlessly" injured during the race, and therefore Saez bore some responsibility for the injury and euthanization.
Eight Belles' trainer, Larry Jones
J. Larry Jones
J. Larry Jones is an American Thoroughbred horse racing trainer. A former commercial farmer, he embarked on a career as a professional trainer in 1982....
, has vigorously defended Saez, saying "We have photographs 50 to 70 yards from where this happened and the horse had her ears up . . . If this horse had anything going on with her at the time, she didn't know it. If the horse never had a clue, there's no way the jockey could have had a clue."
The Kentucky Horse Racing Authority did not find any evidence of wrongdoing by Saez.
Saez won the horseraceinsider.com "I’ve Got Your PETA Right Here Insider Award" in 2008 for achieving a redemptive moment with his dramatically heady victory aboard Eclipse finalist Proud Spell in Saratoga's
Saratoga Race Course
Saratoga Race Course is a Thoroughbred horse racing track in Saratoga Springs, New York, United States. It opened on August 3, 1863, and is the oldest organized sporting venue of any kind in the United States. It is typically open for racing from late July through early September.-History:John...
Alabama Stakes
Alabama Stakes
The Alabama Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race open to three-year-old fillies. Inaugurated in 1872, the Grade I race is run over a distance of one and one-quarter miles on the dirt track at Saratoga Race Course. Held in mid August, it currently offers a purse of $500,000...
.
The day before the Kentucky Derby, Saez rode Proud Spell to a win in the Kentucky Oaks
Kentucky Oaks
The Kentucky Oaks is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred fillies staged annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States. The race currently covers 1⅛ miles at Churchill Downs; the horses carry 121 pounds . The Kentucky Oaks is held on the Friday before the Kentucky Derby each year...
.
2009
Saez entered the 2009 Kentucky Derby2009 Kentucky Derby
The 2009 Kentucky Derby was the 135th running of the Kentucky Derby. The value of the race was $2,177,000 in stakes. The race was sponsored by Yum! Brands and hence officially was called Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands. The race took place on May 2, 2009, and was televised in the United...
aboard prerace favorite Friesan Fire
Friesan Fire
Friesan Fire is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. He was sired by 1992 American Horse of the Year, A.P. Indy, a son of the 1977 U.S. Triple Crown winner, Seattle Slew. His dam, Bollinger, is an Australian Group One winner and a daughter of the 1993 American Champion Two-Year-Old Colt, Dehere...
and finished 18th. At the 2009 Preakness Stakes
2009 Preakness Stakes
The 2009 Preakness Stakes was the 134th running of the Preakness Stakes, the second leg of horse racing's Triple Crown. The value of the race was $1,100,000 in stakes. The race was sponsored by BlackBerry and hence officially was called Blackberry Preakness Stakes. The race took place on May 16,...
, Saez again jockeyed Friesan Fire, and finished 10th.
External links
- Gabriel Saez at the NTRA
Year-end charts
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!Chart (2008–present)
!Peak
position
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|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2008
| style="text-align:center;"|34
|-
|National Earnings List for Jockeys 2009
| style="text-align:center;"|65