Borel notches 4,999th win aboard brother’s well-regarded
juvenile
Three-time Kentucky Derby-winning jockey Calvin Borel crept closer to a major
career milestone at Fair Grounds on Friday night, tallying
career win 4,999 aboard promising two-year-old Malibu High in the
2ND race, an
entry-level allowance at six furlongs over a sloppy main track.
“It’s hard to get there (to 5,000 wins) but I’ve been riding for
twenty-something years and I’ve been on good horses,” Borel said. “This colt was
ready today. My brother had him sharp and he responded for me.”
Malibu High remained undefeated in his second career start for trainer Cecil
Borel, the rider’s brother. Mary Grum’s Malibu Moon colt bided his time while Agave Cat led early through early
fractions of :22 1/5 and :46 1/5.
As he did in perhaps his most famous ride,
aboard Mine That Bird in the 2009 Kentucky Derby, Borel brought his
charge up the rail while skipping through the slop. This time he won by
three-quarters of a length, stopping the clock in 1:11 2/5.
Malibu High paid $6.40, $5 and $3.40 and raised his career earnings to $58,980.
Agave Cat held on for second from Favorite Uncle.
Cecil Borel said he would nominate Malibu High to stakes at Fair Grounds (the Grade
3, $200,000 Lecomte Stakes on January 19) and Oaklawn Park (the
$150,000 Smarty Jones Stakes on January 21) as possible next starts.
“He has all the talent in the world,” Calvin Borel said. “He’s a very smart
horse; he’ll win on his smartness. I think he’ll beat some good horses.”
The rider said it was unlikely he would have any more mounts before the start
of the Oaklawn Park season on January 11, so his 5,000th milestone will await
Hot Springs, Arkansas.
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