The weekly honor acknowledges jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys’ Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
Bocachica wasted no time by heading to the winners’ circle in the first race. As first call rider for trainer Jeff Ronco, Bocachica was aboard Annapolis Road, in the Vincent Moscarelli Memorial for two-year-olds. Off as the favorite in the field of eight, Annapolis Road posted a 1-1/2 length win in 1:20.13 for six and one-half furlongs.
The Runco-Bocachica duo took the second race with Duncan Idaho in the Dash for Cash. Off as the favorite in the field of nine, Duncan Idaho settled in fourth before launching his bid at the top of the stretch to get up in the final yards to post a neck victory in 51.66 for four and one-half furlongs.
Bocachica won the fifth race for trainer Anthony Farrior with Diakonissa in the Triple Crown Nutrition for two-year-old fillies. Off as the favorite in the nine-horse field, Diakonissa took the lead at the half-mile and dug in for a neck victory in 1:21.25 for six and on-half furlongs.
Riding for trainer Runco, Bocachica was aboard Runaldo in the night’s feature race, the Sam Huff for three-year-olds and up. Making his stakes debut, the four-year-old gelding appreciated the one and one-eighth mile distance as he closed for a three-quarter length win in 1:53.23 and a mild upset over prohibitive favorite, Jubawithatwist.
Bocachica won his fifth stakes of the night riding for trainer Runco in Race 9, the Roger Ramey Distaff aboard Change the World. Off as the second favorite in the field of 10, Change the World broke from post position 10 and proved best by 2-3/4 lengths in 1:55.37 for a mile and one-eighth.
Bocachica posted on Instagram after the races, “What a night 5 wins. I want to thank everybody involved with the horses I rode. Thanks to Jeff and Susan Runco for the opportunity to ride their horses, I also want to thank Anthony Farrior for my other stakes win.”
The hard-working, personable Bocachica, 36, is a native of Puerto Rico and known as “Boca” around the track. He has won numerous riding titles at Charles Town and recorded his 2,500th career win May 20, 2023 at the track for trainer Runco. He is the father of jockey Abnel and brother of Orlando all of whom are members of the Charles Town jockey colony making it a family affair at the West Virginia track.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Dylan Davis with a graded stakes win at Belmont at the Big A, Tyler Gaffalione with a graded stakes score at Keeneland, five-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz, Jr. who won his 4,000 career race and John Velazquez who won the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II.
