Elvis and The Riot off to Toga...

[-BT-]

"LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Jockey Jamie Theriot is riding his recent hot streak at Churchill Downs all the way to Saratoga.

Theriot, who at one point during the current Churchill meet won with 9 of 10 mounts, including 6 in a row, "wants to give Saratoga a try," said agent Fred Aime. "We feel like we've built quite a bit of momentum and business, and this looks like a good time for Jamie to go up there and see what he can do."

Theriot won with his final mount on June 15, a Sunday, then won the first two races when racing resumed on June 18. After one losing mount, he won with his next four rides, marking just the 11th time in Churchill history a jockey has won as many as six races on a card. He then won with his first two mounts on June 19, giving him six in a row over a two-day period.

Three other Churchill jockeys will ride regularly at Saratoga, where the 36-meet runs July 23 through Sept. 1 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Those riders are Robby Albarado, Julien Leparoux, and Shaun Bridgmohan.

Theriot, 29, was a top rider at tracks in Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas before moving his tack to Kentucky in April 2007. He had his first mount in a Triple Crown race when he rode Kentucky Bear to a sixth-place finish in the Preakness last month.

Trujillo hits the road

Elvis Trujillo came late and left early. Trujillo began his Churchill meet in an auspicious manner on May 17, winning with all three of his mounts, but left far more quietly, having compiled a record of 10 wins from 77 mounts.

Since June 13, Trujillo had ridden just twice at Churchill, getting one mount each on June 18 and 19. His last win at Churchill came June 5.

Otherwise, Trujillo has been all over the map lately. He rode June 14 at Calder; on June 15 at Woodbine; last Saturday at Colonial Downs; last Sunday at Woodbine; and Wednesday at Suffolk Downs. He will ride at Monmouth Park in New Jersey until about July 17, said his agent, Cliff Collier, after which he will move north to ride the full meet at Saratoga."

i can understand the riot heading to saratoga with all this momentum he has, but elvis? I haven't watched a lick of the Churchill meet but after reading this article it doesn't look like he's exactly lighting it up out there. Maybe he might wanna think about regrouping down at Calder for the rest of the summer?

-bt-