Journeyman jockey Francisco Arrieta equaled a career high on Friday at Oaklawn Park winning five races on the day's 10-race card to garner Jockey of the Week honors by the panel of racing experts.
The weekly honor recognizes jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
Arrieta began his five-win day in Friday's fourth race aboard Morally Complex ($11.80) for trainer Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez. Riding again for Ramirez-Rodriguez in race six, Arrieta piloted Magical Mark ($7.60) to a win. Arrieta won race seven for two-time Eclipse Award trainer Brad Cox with Passion Rules ($11.20).
Arrieta visited the winner's circle in race eight aboard Cloud Without Rein ($5.40) for trainer Greg Compton and finished the day with a win in race 10 for trainer Ernie Witt II with Nice Move ($10.40).
Arrieta rode five winners on a single card twice at Turf Paradise in 2019.
He continued recording multiple win days with two wins on Saturday for trainers Greg Compton and Val Brinkerhoff before ending the race week with three more wins on Sunday for trainers Michael Stidham, Abel Ramirez-Rodriguez and Thomas Van Berg for a total of 10 wins from 22 mounts.
The multiple graded stakes winning Arrieta, 36, grew up in La Rinconada, Venezuela where he attended jockey school. He rode his first races at Hipodrome de Santa Rita near Maracaibo, Venezuela before moving to the United States in 2012. He recorded his first U.S. win at the Meadowlands in 2015.
Arrieta won leading rider titles at Canterbury Park and Turf Paradise in 2019 and Sunland Park in 2020 before moving his tack in 2021 to ride at Oaklawn Park and Kentucky tracks. He tied with David Cabrera for leading rider honors at Oaklawn Park in 2022 and recorded his 1,000th career win at Oaklawn Park on December 29, 2024.
The personable and hard working Arrieta is currently tied for third with 34 wins with apprentice rider Tyler Bacon in the competitive Oaklawn Park jockey standings.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week included the reigning Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Apprentice Erik Asmussen who won the Gr. III Whitmore, Tiago Pereira who won the Gr. III Santa Ana, Flavien Prat who won five races at Colonial Downs on Saturday and Kevin Roman who led all riders in wins with 12 while riding at Fonner Park and Will Rogers Downs.
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