LEXINGTON, Ky. – The 'Summer of Manny Franco' may have come to an end, but the year of Manny Franco continues.

Currently atop the jockey standings at the inaugural meeting at the new Belmont Park following a record-setting summer at Saratoga, the 31-year-old native of Puerto Rico heads to the Breeders' Cup with mounts in 13 of the 14 Championship races this weekend at Keeneland.

His Breeders' Cup steers on 'Future Stars Friday':

• unbeaten GIII Matron S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Brickyard Belle (Yaupon) (Miguel Clement) (3-1) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint;
• GIII Pocahontas S. runner-up and 'Rising Star' Scarlett Begonia (Life Is Good) (Brad Cox) (20-1) in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies;
• Pepsi Kentucky Downs Juvenile Fillies S. winner Citrus Springs (Olympiad) (Clement) (15-1) in the GI John Deere Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf;
• GI Champagne S. runner-up Gaudreau (Nyquist) (Chad Brown) (8-1) in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Juvenile; and
• Kitten's Joy S. winner Popcorn (Catholic Boy) (Jonathan Thomas) (20-1), the first also-eligible in the GI Brown Advisory Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

& on 'Championship Saturday':

• Simply Joking (Practical Joke) (Michael McCarthy) (30-1), runner-up in the GIII Princess Rooney S., in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint;
• streaking GII Intercontinental S. winner Roja (Karakontie {Jpn}) (Graham Motion) (30-1) in the GI Prevagen Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint;
• Moonlight (Audible) (Peter Miller) (15-1), third in the GI Bing Crosby S., in the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile;
• GI Gamely S. heroine Thought Process (Collected) (Philip D'Amato) (15-1) in the GI Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf;
• Liam Smith (Midshipman) (Miller) (20-1), a back-to-back winner with matching 107 Beyer Speed Figures at Santa Anita, in the GI Cygames Breeders' Cup Sprint;
• the globe-trotting Facteur Cheval (Ire) (Ribchester {Ire}) (Mark Casse) (30-1) in the GI FanDuel Breeders' Cup Mile;
• narrow GI Alabama S. runner-up Measure (Essential Quality) (Casse) (20-1) in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Distaff; and
• Test Score (Lookin At Lucky) (Motion) (30-1), winner of this year's GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational S. beneath Franco, in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Turf.

Franco has a pair of Breeders' Cup wins on his resume, guiding home the Motion-trained Sharing to a 13-1 upset in the 2019 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf at Santa Anita and champion 2-year-old filly Immersive to a perfect season for Cox in the 2024 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar.

“I'm excited for the Breeders' Cup,” said Franco, who is represented by agent John Panagot. “I'm gonna be riding (13) horses, hoping for the best. It's the best two days in racing.”

Franco's best shot on the weekend figures to come aboard the talented Brickyard Belle, second choice in the Juvenile Turf dash.

“I'm really excited to ride her,” Franco said. “She has phenomenal talent and Miguel Clement is a young, talented trainer. Excited to get back on her in the Breeders' Cup. I think she belongs there.”

One of the best horses Franco rode all year, however, will not be competing at the Championships.

U. S. S. Valor (War of Will), with Franco in the saddle, concluded his 2-year-old campaign with a jaw-dropping victory in the GI Champagne S. at Belmont Park Oct. 3. The 'Rising Star's' connections–Barry Irwin of Team Valor International and Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey–have opted to skip the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile with a long-term eye on his 3-year-old campaign.

“He's an amazing horse with a lot of talent,” said Franco, who rode Tiz the Law to a win in the 2020 GI Belmont Stakes and a second-place finish in the GI Kentucky Derby. “They decided to skip the Breeders' Cup and look to the future with him and winning the Derby. I respect the decision, they know what's best for the horse. Wherever he goes, I'll be there. When he's ready to run, I'll be ready for him.”

Franco was certainly ready for the expanded 45-day meeting at the Spa.

He was the meet's leading rider for the first time with a record 73 wins, adding to 18 other titles on the New York Racing Association circuit. The 'Summer of Manny' was topped by four Grade I victories–for three different trainers–aboard unbeaten 'Rising Star' Leading Change (Gun Runner) in the GI DraftKings Travers S., My Gun's Loaded (Gun Runner) in the GI Alabama S., unbeaten 'Rising Star' The Good Life (Life Is Good) in the GI Spendthrift Farm Hopeful S. and Survie (Ire) (Churchill {Ire}) in the GI Christophe Clement Turf S.

Franco also equaled Saratoga's single-day win record for a jockey with six victories on Friday, Aug. 7, joining Hall of Famers Ramon Dominguez and Johnny Velazquez and leading rider Irad Ortiz, Jr.

“It was unreal,” Franco said. “I felt like everything was going my way. Every day, I had so many good horses with chances. I think the momentum coming from winning the title at Aqueduct helped me a lot going to Saratoga.”

With a couple of months to reflect now, what sticks out the most?

“Setting the new record, that's a big accomplishment, and, of course, winning my first riding title at Saratoga,” Franco said.

A promising shortstop growing up, Franco, now standing at 5-foot-1, once had dreams of playing baseball in the big leagues. He credits his father with introducing him to the ponies.

“My dad liked to go to the track and see the horse races in Puerto Rico,” Franco said. “I grew up like that. He took me to the track every Sunday and when I got to the age of 15, I said, 'Dad, I want to do this.' That's the way I fell in love.”

Franco honed his skills in the saddle at Escuela Vocacional Hipica, the Equestrian Vocational School based at Camarero Racetrack in Puerto Rico. Other famous alumni include Velazquez and the Ortiz brothers.

After graduating in January 2013, Franco hit the ground running and was leading apprentice in his home country. At the urging of his old man, he made his move to the Big Apple just three months later.

“I was winning,” Franco said. “I never expected to get out of Puerto Rico. My dad set everything up. He told me in February, 'The first day of March, we're leaving.'”

Franco added, “So, here I am.”

Here he is, indeed.