Agent Quits Jockey Over Missed Rides

Another agent has dropped Pat Valenzuela, the troubled jockey who skipped a $27,500 payday Sunday when he called in sick and didn’t ride the victorious Fraise in the $500,000 Hollywood Turf Cup.

Nick Cosato, who has been booking Valenzuela’s mounts for about three months, said Monday night that he has quit working for the 31-year-old jockey.

“I can’t believe what happened Sunday,” Cosato said. “It was a slap in the face to me as a professional agent.”

Valenzuela called the stewards at Hollywood Park on Sunday morning, asking to be excused from his mounts, but Cosato said the jockey didn’t call him until 2 p.m. Monday.

“Pat tried to apologize, but this is the third time he’s done this to me,” Cosato said. “There was closing day at Del Mar when he didn’t show, then Cal Cup day at Santa Anita and now Sunday. I can’t be fair to my clients when this continues to go on.”

Valenzuela, who has been suspended twice after testing positive for drugs, couldn’t be reached for comment. Besides Fraise’s victory, two of his other scheduled mounts on Sunday’s card also won.

Valenzuela has had several agents. One of his longest relationships, with Jerry Ingordo, ended late in 1989 when Valenzuela didn’t notify the agent that he would miss the assignment on Hawkster in the Oak Tree Invitational at Santa Anita. Russell Baze rode Hawkster to victory in the $500,000 race.

This year, other jockeys substituted for Valenzuela as Corby won the San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita and Devoted Brass won the Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park.