Cedillo’s hard work pays off

ARCADIA, Calif. – Mornings off are a rarity for jockey Abel Cedillo, who has had an outstanding January at Santa Anita.

Most days, Cedillo can be found at Santa Anita during training hours, with a morning or two spent each week at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in San Diego County.

The work ethic has translated into a position near the top of the jockey standings for the rider, who relocated from Northern California last summer. Through Sunday, Cedillo had won 17 races, good enough for second behind Joel Rosario, who has 18 wins.

On Thursday’s seven-race program at Santa Anita, Cedillo has mounts in six races, a tribute to his success considering the fields average only seven runners per race.

“I’ve got a lot of live horses,” he said between workers on Sunday morning. “I’m riding for most of the top trainers. I’m happy with that.”

Cedillo has excellent chances on Thursday aboard the maiden claimer Mela Jones in the third race, and Hudson River Park in the fourth race, a maiden special weight race at a mile on turf.

He begins the four-day racing week after an excellent weekend. Last Saturday, Cedillo rode four winners, including Captain Scotty in the Grade 2 Palos Verdes Stakes at six furlongs. Cedillo has had three four-win days in Southern California, including at Los Alamitos on Sept. 15 and here on Dec. 29.

“I thought I’d get a couple,” he said on Sunday, recalling

Saturday’s races. “I had a few live ones. I didn’t know [I’d get] four.”

Captain Scotty led throughout the Palos Verdes Stakes to beat 4-5 Flagstaff. The race changed earlier in the day when St. Joe Bay and Ax Man were withdrawn.

“I was the only horse that had speed,” Cedillo said.

Captain Scotty was Cedillo’s third stakes win of the meeting, which began on Dec. 28. Cedillo rode Laura’s Light to a win in the Blue Norther Stakes on Dec. 29, and Wound Tight in the Unusual Heat Turf Classic on Jan. 18.

Sunday, Cedillo had one win aboard Tartini in a starter allowance, and it was well earned. Tartini, who was winless in 20 starts since winning his debut in October 2016 in England, overcame traffic in the stretch to take the lead in the final strides.

Cedillo, 30, has won two riding titles since moving to Southern California. He tied for first with Flavien Prat at the Santa Anita autumn meeting, and won the title at the Del Mar autumn meeting in November. Cedillo was second at the brief Los Alamitos winter meeting in December.

This weekend, Cedillo is booked to ride three of the four stakes – on Cleopatra’s Strike in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Marcos Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf, Rest ra in edv eng en ce in Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at 1 1/8 miles, and Rager in Sunday’s $75,000 Baffle Stakes for 3-year-olds at 5 1/2 furlongs.

Sunday, Cedillo worked Rager a half-mile in 50 seconds. The colt was one of five horses Cedillo worked during the morning.