Best of 2025: Flavien Prat – A rider’s rider continues to build success on his Championship year
To celebrate a remarkable year of racing action on the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) circuit, the NYRA Press Office checked in with a selection of trainers, owners, jockeys and racing personalities to share their reflections on the memorable year.
One day after winning two Breeders’ Cup races for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert at Del Mar on November 1, Flavien Prat put an exclamation mark on the final day of the Belmont at The Big A fall meet by establishing a new NYRA record for most wins by a jockey on a single card with seven - including six consecutive - victories. Moreover, his try for an eighth fell just a head short in the finale of the 11-race card on which he had 10 mounts and finished second in each of his others.
The stellar day for the 33-year-old native of Melun, Siene-et-Marne, France was indicative of another banner year for the reigning Eclipse Award winner, who in 2024 set the single-year record for the most stakes wins [82] and broke the single-year record for graded stakes [56] that had stood since Hall of Famer Jerry Baily won 55 in 2003. In 2025, Prat won his first title in New York by topping the standings at the Belmont at the Big A spring/summer meet with 43 wins, and on the same track he hit the 2,000-win mark in North America aboard Iron Max on June 27 as part of a memorable five-win day.
Saratoga was also the scene for his success this year as for the first time he was the meet leader in earnings with $5,672,620. With more than $40M in purse earnings in 2025, he is enjoying his most lucrative single season, with more mounts still to come before the calendar turns.
Throughout the year Prat was in a New York state of mind, winning 17 graded stakes at NYRA tracks, including four Grade 1s in the Whitney, the Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer, the Belmont Oaks Invitational and the Dunkin’ Diana; five Grade 2 events; and eight Grade 3 races.
In 2022, Prat decided, with the advice and counsel of his agent Brad Pegram and his wife Manon, to shift his focus to the NYRA tracks and compete on the toughest circuit in North America. In previous winters, he went back to California to ride at Santa Anita’s winter-spring meet. This year it’s a different story as he’s sticking around to ride at the Aqueduct winter meet.
Q: What went into your decision to stay in New York all winter?
Flavien Prat [FP]: "Family reasons are part of it, travel is another. Last year I was in California, and I think I spent very few Saturdays there. Every Saturday I was [riding] somewhere else. I figured for that reason I might as well do it from New York where traveling is a lot easier than it is from Los Angeles. We’ll see if it’s best to stay in New York or if it’s best to go somewhere else. My kids are older now, seven and four, and they are in school. Right after Saratoga ended they went back to school and from September through December I was based on the East Coast. I was traveling to California back and forth almost every weekend and those trips are just draining. I want to be around my wife and my kids. Last year, I could only be with them on the weekends and that didn't feel right.”
Q: You were the prohibitive favorite to win the Eclipse Award last year and told us then it was something you had worked your whole life to achieve. When it was fait accompli and you were on the awards ceremony stage in late January with the trophy in your hands, what were your emotions?
FP: “It was strange because once the [previous] season is over you already have moved on to the next but, honestly, at the same time it was a dream come true. It was something I had dreamed about for a long time and to be able to accomplish it was great. It was a great moment. My family was with me. It was a good evening, obviously.”
Q: Has being the champion, and with the expectations that come with that, exerted any extra pressure on you this year?
FP: “Not really, no. I did not feel any extra pressure. I put so much into last season, then the season is over, and then you realize that you must get into it again and you have to improve and get better. It didn’t mean that because I had the Eclipse it was done. You’ve just got to keep moving, keep going forward.”
Q: This has been another fantastic year for you. Is there anything you’re doing differently, riding wise?
FP: “It is different than ten years ago, or five years ago, and it is probably different than last year. It has to be different because to improve, I can’t rest on my laurels. It needs to improve and I do feel there is always room for improvement. There is the riding, and there is also the way I judge horses, the way I communicate, the way I watch races. There are so many things around riding that can be improved and tuned up a little bit. I do feel I can do better. I am only 33 years old.”
Q: You scored a Breeders’ Cup two-win day at Del Mar and a NYRA record-setting seven-win day back-to-back November 1-2. Does it still seem a little unreal?
FP: “I was a great day [at Belmont at The Big A]. I had a great Saturday, and all my horses ran well in the Breeders’ Cup. So you get that adrenaline going. We flew home [cross-country from Southern California] that night right after the races and I was feeling good vibes on the trip home. But I didn’t get much sleep. I think I got home around 3:30 [in the morning]. I slept for a few hours and went straight to the races. I looked at the card in New York and thought that I had a chance on all of them. It turned out to be a great weekend. It’s definitely one I won’t forget. I guess sleep is overrated.”
Q: What else stands out for 2025?
FP: “There have been nice milestones this whole season. Obviously, there was that weekend and there was the 2,000-win mark. I had the chance to be leading rider at Keeneland, and then at Aqueduct [Belmont at the Big A] for my first title in New York after that. I was the leading money earner at Saratoga, so it’s been a great season where I have been able to achieve quite a bit. It’s hard to believe, but this has been an even better year than last year. The purse money has been better, I’m [over] 300 winners and I never did that before. Last year I got the stakes and graded stakes records, but besides that this has been a better year.”
Q: Young riders everywhere look up to you as a role model now. Whom did you admire when you were in their boots?
FP: “When I was a kid, Frankie [Dettori] was the guy. He was riding all over Europe and America and everywhere and winning everywhere. He was definitely someone that you look up to. When I started riding, I tried to look at a few different riders and see how they do it and how they act. But in the meantime, you try to find and develop your own style.”
Q: When Frankie retired, and then unretired, and relocated to America you were often sharing the jocks’ room with him. Not many people in any profession get to work side by side with their childhood idol. What was that like?
FP: “It was cool. Absolutely.”
Q: Every day when you’re at Saratoga you try to give away at least two pairs of goggles to kids. Why is this important to you?
FP: “I think the majority of us try to do it. Obviously, there are times when you can’t or you’re busy, but we try because it is nice. I remember being the kid asking for goggles. It helps create good memories for them and hopefully, they’ll come back to the track as adults. At Saratoga we’re so close to the fans and that’s one of the things that makes it so special. Sometimes between races I’m pretty busy and there are a lot of things to think about, but after the last race I don’t mind.”
Q: This can be a demanding and difficult profession. How do you stay centered day-to-day?
FP: “It’s probably just who I am. Now with a lot of experience I know there are highs and lows and the highs can be very high and the lows can be very low. You want to keep your attitude very even. You have to stay even. You have to keep yourself on an even-keel. I always try to keep things in balance no matter what happens.”
Q: You’ve won the Kentucky Derby [Country House, 2019] and you’ve won the Preakness [Rombauer, 2021]. How meaningful would it be to win the Belmont, and right here in New York?
FP: “It would be very special, very special. I’ve done well in that race [5-0-1-2] but haven’t been able to win it. Yes, it would be very special to win all three Triple Crown races. I hope to win it. We’ll see what the future holds.”
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