Manuel Franco, a jockey from Carolina, Puerto Rico, won his first Ángel 'Junior' Cordero award at the Saratoga Race Course in New York, securing the title with his 70th victory of the season. The award is named after the legendary Puerto Rican jockey who holds the record for most championships at Saratoga with 14.
Franco expressed his emotions, saying 'it means everything to me' and highlighted the prestige of competing at Saratoga, where the best jockeys are currently racing. This is the 11th time since 2015 that a Puerto Rican jockey has won the award, with Irad Ortiz winning nine times and his brother José Luis Ortiz winning once.
Franco had a notable season, including a six-win day and important classic wins, and is currently ranked fourth in the US jockey statistics, led by José Luis Ortiz. Puerto Rican jockeys dominate the top positions, with four of the top six jockeys being from the island, including José Luis Ortiz, Franco, Irad Ortiz, and John Velázquez.