Tyler Gaffalione was a clear winner Saturday with three stakes victories including two graded on the blockbuster Pegasus World Cup 13-race program which included 10 stakes races. The panel of racing experts voted Gaffalione Jockey of the Week for January 20-26.
The weekly honor recognizes 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.
Trainer Dale Romans gave a leg up to Gaffalione in the day's fifth race, the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint aboard the six-year-old Coppola. Off at odds of 2-1, Coppola and Gaffalione broke on top from post position 11 and never looked back making every pole a winning one to win by three-quarters of a length in :54.43 for the five-furlong dash.
"If we had the opportunity to go to the front, we were going to take it," said Gaffalione to Gulfstream publicity. "He's a big strong horse, and if we can get out of the gate first, it alleviates the worry about being bounced around."
In the day's first graded stakes, Gaffalione was in the irons on Forever After All for trainer Brendan Walsh in the Gr. III La Prevoyante. Breaking from post position 10 in the field of 12 fillies and mares four years-old and up, Gaffalione settled the six-year-old inside and off the pace near the back of the field. Gaffalione swung Forever After All to the outside at the top of the stretch to post a nose victory over Chop Chop and Irad Ortiz, Jr. in 2:26.06 for the mile and one-half turf test.
"I didn't want to make it that close, but I just had to wait a little bit longer than I would have like to," said Gaffalione. "As soon as I got out, she found another gear."
Riding for five-time Eclipse Award trainer Chad Brown, Gaffalione was aboard Spirit of St Louis for the first time in the Gr. I Pegasus World Cup Turf for four-year-olds. Off at odds of 8-1, Spirit of St Louis raced in mid-pack until Gaffalione swung the New York-bred out to the eighth path at the top of the stretch to win by a neck over Integration and Frankie Dettori in 1:44.50 for a mile and one-eighth.
"I just kind of waited for my spot and coming into the stretch I was able to work my way out and the horse did the rest," said Gaffalione.
Gaffalione makes Gulfstream Park his winter riding base. On Saturday's card Gaffalione has the mount on Burning Glory in the feature race, the Gr. III Holy Bull for Eclipse Award trainer Bill Mott and on Stunner for two-time Eclipse Award trainer Brad Cox in the Gr. III Forward Gal.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Rafael Bejarano who won the Gr. III Southwest, Irad Ortiz, Jr. with two graded stakes wins including the Gr. I Pegasus World Cup, Flavien Prat with two stakes wins at Oaklawn and Edgard Zayas who won the Gr. II Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf.
This press release has not been edited by BloodHorse. If there are any questions please contact the organization that produced the release.
