Jockey Gomez earns five wins at Santa Anita Park


Jockey Garrett Gomez earned five wins on Saturday at Santa Anita Park, winning with his first five mounts on the nine-race card.

Gomez’s good fortune included a win aboard Friendly Island in the $147,000 Palos Verdes Handicap (G2), Saturday’s third race. The 35-year-old Gomez won the first two races aboard Roosevelt and Christmas Stocking, and captured the fourth race with Seven Steps (Ire).

After not riding in the fifth race, Gomez rallied Comoros to a nose win in the sixth. His perfect day came to an end in the seventh race when Rush Rush finished a fast-closing third, more than 1 1/4 lengths behind Valid Mecke.

Gomez also rode five winners at Arlington Park on July 11, 1991. His five wins are the most compiled in one day by a Santa Anita rider since Rafael Bejarano earned six wins on April 8.

Laffit Pincay Jr. set a track record by winning seven races on March 14, 1987.

Gomez, one of three finalists for an Eclipse Award as North America’s outstanding jockey, leads the Santa Anita rider standings with 26 wins in 19 days of racing. Victor Espinoza is second in the standings with 17 wins.