The Paco Lopez win machine rolls on. While it's not unusual for Lopez to post double digit wins for the week, 20 wins was extraordinary. Not one to take a day off, Lopez started the week on Monday and Tuesday at Parx, Wednesday and Thursday at Delaware Park, Friday afternoon at Laurel and Friday evening at Penn National.
On Saturday, Lopez returned to his summer base of Monmouth Park where he won six races on the Haskell Preview card including the Pegasus Stakes. He concluded the week at Monmouth on Sunday with five wins.
The panel of racing experts voted Lopez Jockey of the Week honors for June 8-June 14.
Lopez won two races on Monday, Race 5 for Robert "Butch" Reid, Jr. and Race 10 for Ruperto Perez. Staying at Parx for Tuesday, Lopez posted a win in Race 4 for Guadalupe Preciado.
Lopez moved on to Delaware Park on Wednesday winning Race 4 for Anthony Pecoraro and Race 6 for Michael Simone. Continuing to ride at Delaware Park on Thursday, Lopez collected a win in Race 7 for Greg Compton.
On Friday, Lopez began the race day at Laurel Park posting a win in Race 4 for Antonio Machado. After winning Race 7 for Cathal Lynch, Lopez made the 120-mile trip to Penn National for mounts in three races posting a win in Race 4 for Jamie Ness.
On Saturday, Monmouth Park presented the Haskell Preview 10-race card with Lopez having mounts in nine. Lopez took the early double for Juan Avila in Race 1 and Renaldo Richards in Race 2. Lopez kept the momentum going winning Race 3 for Kelly Breen.
Trainer Lindsay Schultz gave a leg up to Lopez aboard Baby Vino in the Pegasus Stakes, the local prep race for the Haskell on July 18. Off as the third choice at 5-2 in the small field of five, Baby Vino tracked National Charter and race favorite Schoolyardsuperman until the top of the stretch when Lopez gave Baby Vino his cue to win convincing by 10-3/4 lengths in 1:44.36 for a mile and one-sixteenth.
"I was in perfect position off a couple of speed horses," Lopez said to Monmouth publicity. "When I asked this horse, he gave me a big kick. Lindsay does a nice job with her horses."
Not done for the day, Lopez continued to accumulate wins, Race 7 for trainer Chuck Spina and Race 8 for trainer H. Graham Motion, for six wins on the day.
On Sunday at Monmouth, Lopez won Race 3 for Jorge Duarte, Jr., Race 5 for Timothy Hills, Race 6 for Michael Dini, Race 7 for Wayne Potts and finally, Race 8 for Michael Dini the 20th win of the week. The 20 wins were for 19 different trainers.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week include Hector I. Berrios who won the G3 San Juan Capistrano, Tyler Gaffalione who won the G3 Salvatore Mile, Juan Hernandez with two graded stakes wins, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with three stakes wins and Luis Saez who won the G3 Delaware Oaks.
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