Jockey John Velazquez will be based primarily at Santa Anita Park for the upcoming meet there that starts Dec. 26, a switch from recent seasons in which the 50-year-old Hall-of-Famer has wintered at Gulfstream Park.
Jay Privman of Daily Racing Form first broke the news Monday. TDN left a phone message for Velazquez seeking comment, but it did not yield a return call prior to deadline for this story.
The four-time GI Kentucky Derby-winner and co-chairman of the Jockeys' Guild made his decision public Nov. 29 via his agent, Ron Anderson.
Velazquez has increasingly flown in from his East Coast base to ride stakes horses for trainer Bob Baffert in recent years. He rode at Del Mar over Thanksgiving weekend, winning twice from 10 mounts. Six of those rides were for trainer Richard Baltas; two were on Doug O'Neill trainees.
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