Monday, June 27, 2005 | 9:18 a.m.
Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday and his Southern California selections run Tuesday-Sunday.
With the holiday racing weekend coming up and many horseplayers sharing time between the fireworks celebrating the Fourth of July and those fireworks of the equine kind on the racetrack, it is time to see who is hot and who is not.
Outside of fan favorites like Smarty Jones or Afleet Alex, most racing fans align with the human stars of the turf. Jockeys are fan favorites. They can also be the butt of a fan's exacerbation. Hero or bum. It depends how the rider is doing. And doing for that particular fan. One man's riding star can be another man's riding nightmare.
So, while we get ready for another go-round at the barbecue with an extra day of holiday racing, let's check out the hot riders and the not-so-hot riders from east to west.
Jockey Alex Solis, who returned from the sidelines due to a racing injury, is riding as hot as any jockey in California right now. From 184 mounts, Solis has 37 victories moving into third place at the Inglewood oval. Solis, who won five races on the May 21 Hollywood program, bagged four winners before the Sunday feature. Although he scaled the even-money favorite Osidy in the Cinema, they had to settle for second behind Willow O Wisp. Jockey Victor Espinoza, who blanked Sunday, is holding onto the runner-up slot with 43 wins while Solis slipped past Tyler Baze with his Sunday four-bagger. Baze, who also blanked Sunday, now sits fourth with 34 victories.
Of course, the Southern California kingpin of riders is Patrick Valenzuela. Since his return from a racing injury, Valenzuela made ground-gaining headway into the Hollywood Park standings. Valenzuela, who won the 146th running of the Queens Plate at Woodbine race course aboard Wild Desert in Canada on Sunday, sits in 12th position with 15 victories from only 71 rides at the Hollywood stand. P. Val, as he is known to race players, swept the Southern California jockey standings two years ago, taking both Hollywood Park meets, Del Mar, Oak Tree at Santa Anita and Santa Anita in a single year.
Jockeys who are putting up lower-than-average numbers at Hollywood Park include Alex Bisono, Julio Garcia, Kerwin John and Matt Garcia.
Nick Zito is carrying his Triple Crown funk into Belmont's meet with just five wins from 46 starters. Bobby Frankel is batting 32 percent with 10 wins from 31 starts, and Todd Pletcher has 11 wins from 56 starts for a 20 percent win rate.
Hollywood Park's trainer race is a one-stable show right now. Doug O'Neill has 24 wins from over 153 starters, seven victories in front of second-place Vladmir Cerin with 17 wins. Mike Mitchell, with 15 is third, Neil Drysdale is fourth with 14 wins and Steve Knapp rounds out the top five with a dozen victories.
Of course, jockey-trainer combinations are always a key handicapping tool and the old, "horse-for-course" angle can also apply to search out winners.
But, win lose or draw, it is the jockey who gets the accolades or raspberries from the adoring fans.
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