8/4/2023
The 12th Power Rankings of the season saw Silvio Amador soar to the top with an outstanding week and finished off a big month that saw him get back into the race for the top jockey award although a longshot you best not count him out. Rocco Bowen is showing that grit Emerald fans are used too when he won 3 straight riding titles while the top 2 Luis Negron and Alex Cruz pushed in their battle for the top.
Alex Anaya and Jennifer Whitaker both welcomed the month of July and hope that momentum continues while our Red Hot Mover last week, Jose Zunino fell in the rankings but after a double stakes win week it was gonna be tough for him to hold on to that kind of production. Let’s get to it here are our 12th Power Rankings of the season!
The Red Hot Mover of the Week!
#1 Silvio Amador
Silvio Amador is the definition of RED HOT. Amador has suddenly crept into an outside chance to make a run for the jockey Championship. Luis Negron has led most of the season and 3 time defending champ Alex Cruz is hot on his trail just 3 behind 45-42. Former Emerald riding champ Kevin Radke is still in the chase as well with 33 but right now Radke has to watch his rearview mirror as Amador has pulled within 2 of him at 31 wins. Granted a lot has to go the right way for both Radke and Amador to run down the guys at the top. But Amador over the past 10 racing days has had 41 rides won 12 at a 29% win rate which is 8% higher than his season average and 63% in the top 4 with 26 of 41 finishes in the superfecta. He also has at least 1 win on 9 of those 10 days showing the consistency you need to make a sustained move. This last week was his best going 4-3-2-2- from just 13 mounts for a RED HOT 31% win clip and 85% top 4 finish rate. Silvio Amador is our RED HOT MOVER of the week!
Blazer of the Week!
#2 Rocco Bowen
Rocco Bowen is fully back as he equaled Amador in wins for the week with but was shut out on Sunday. He finished 4-3-2-4 from 18 rides for a 22% win rate and top 4 finish rate of 72%. Since returning part time and now looks like he’s back full time while still flying out to the East Coast to race during the week Bowen has continued to find that groove he used to win 3 straight riding titles here just before Cruz has gone on his more recent run. Bowen has moved up to 8th place in the overall standings.
#3 Alex Anaya
Alex Anaya certainly has welcomed the month of July after struggling through May and June not recording a single win he exploded in July winning 7 of 37 chances for a win rate of 19%. His win rate prior to July was 0 and is now an overall 10%. He has risen to the 13th spot. This past week he was 3-0-1-2 from 10 rides for a 30% win rate and 60% top 4. Anaya also got longshot Attorney Louis to the finish line 1st on Sunday to give veteran trainer Joe Toye his 400th career win at Emerald Downs to join 10 other trainers to achieve that level at the Auburn oval.
#4 Kevin Radke
Kevin Radke just does what a veteran rider does and just keeps pushing and this past week was the 2nd rider with 3 wins for the week. Radke sits in 3rd place overall and he was nosed out of the 3rd spot because of Anaya’s better showing in the 2nd-4th place finishes this week. Radke finished 3-3-3-0 from 16 starts from 16 rides for a solid 19% win rate and 56% top 4. Never count this guy out.
#5 Luis Negron
Luis Negron held tight at #5 as he and his main competitor dueled to a draw this week with he and Alex Cruz each with 2 wins. When you have been as hot as Negron has been you are going to have a few downturns so if your downturn is still winning a pair of races from 14 starts he’ll take it. Negron was 2-6-2-2 for a 14% win rte but a hefty 86% top 4 for the week. Watch out for Negron with all those 2nd’s feels like he’s due for a big week.
#6 Alex Cruz
Alex Cruz relied on his dominance of Friday night where he scored both of his wins for the week and then was shut out on Saturday and Sunday. Cruz has already shown how tough he is rebounding from some serious injuries this past Spring and remains focused on becoming the 1st ever jockey to win 4 straight riding titles in Washington State history. Would be surprised if we saw him go winless in 2 straight days the rest of the season.
#7 Jennifer Whitaker
Jennifer Whitaker is another rider who welcomed the month of July. Whitaker had exactly 1 ride last week, total and won in an eye-popping win on longshot 1st time starter Rimrock Lake with a beautiful sweeping move on the turn that never stopped. For the season Whit has 5 wins, 4 of those came in July from just 15 mounts for a 27% win rate. Whit gets limited chances but if you sleep on her she will get ya, that’s why she’s the Queen of Emerald.
#8 Kevin Orozco
Kevin Orozco got his win on Sunday in a tight comeback win by a nose. Orozco has been battling hard with his rides and finished the week 1-1-2-2 from 9 mounts for an 11% win rate and top 4 finish of 67%. Orozco will get more chances this season and we won’t be surprised if things begin to fall into place for him.
#9 Jose Zunino
Zunino was very likely going to tumble in the rankings this week coming off a double Stakes win weekend and still getting limited chances with just 9 mounts salvaged the weekend bringing in a 14-1 longshot showing he remains one of the best ROI riders around. He was 1-1-2-0 from 9 rides for an 11% win percent but his 44% top 4 finish kept just behind Orozco in the 8 spot.
#10 Alexis Valdes
Alexis Valdes had similar stats as Orozco and Zunino but his win percent was 9% which dropped him to #10. Valdes however has been more consistent on hitting the board and helping his backers with exacta, trifecta and superfecta finishes as he went 1-1-2-3 from 11 rides and a 67% top 4 finish rate.
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