PACO LOPEZ JOCKEY OF THE WEEK

Jockey Paco Lopez was on fire this weekend as he won 11 races at Monmouth Park highlighted by a victory in the Grade 3 Eatontown Stakes. That weekend performance helped him claim the Jockeys’ Guild Jockey of the Week for June 20th to June 26th. The award is voted on by a panel of experts for riding accomplishments by members of the Jockeys’ Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 riders in North America.

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The four-time Monmouth Park leading rider would begin his hot streak on Saturday by winning four of the first seven races at Monmouth Park. Lopez then capped off the five-win day by piloting the favored Isabella Sings to a wire-to-wire win the featured Eatontown Stakes.

“I just wanted to break sharp and see where she placed herself,” Lopez said. “There wasn’t a whole lot of speed in the race and she was nice and relaxed in front. She was just the best horse in the race.”

Lopez, the 2008 Eclipse award winner for Outstanding Apprentice, would do one better on Sunday afternoon beginning with an early triple after wining the third, fourth, and fifth races. He would then go on to win the eighth and ninth races followed by his sixth win of the day aboard Secretive Lady in the nightcap.

The 29 year-old native of Tierra Blanca, Mexico currently sits atop of the Monmouth rider standings, with 48 wins from 128 starts for a 38 percent win percentage. Leading all North American riders in number of wins for the week, Lopez won with 13 of his 28 mounts and added another five seconds and four third place finishes.

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