Keeneland's current leading rider, Tyler Gaffalione, swept all three of their stakes races including two graded stakes for Jockey of the Week honors Oct. 17 through Oct. 23. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, honors jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
On Saturday, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen called on Gaffalione to ride Gunite in the Perryville Stakes for 3-year-olds. Breaking from the outside post in the field of seven, Gunite stalked the early pacesetters, Provocateur and Of a Revolution before closing in on the far turn. At the top of the stretch, Gunite was in control and was never threatened posting a 3 3/4-length win in 1:23.21 for the seven furlongs and retuning $3.24 as the race time favorite.
“I had a great post,” Gaffalione said, “so I just helped him get out there, get him underneath himself, and he does the rest.”
Asmussen and Gaffalione completed the stakes double on Saturday with Wicked Halo in the Grade 2 Lexus Raven Run for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on the dirt. With a perfect stalking trip, Wicked Halo was always close to the pace after breaking from the outside post. Sweeping to the front at the top of the stretch, Wicked Halo romped to a four-length win in 1:24.30 returning $7.40 as the post time favorite. Wicked Halo's next start is likely to be the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
Gaffalione commented on the similarity of Wicked Halo's race and his earlier win for the same connections in the Perryville: “Definitely seemed that way. She did everything very easily. I'm just so thankful to get the opportunity to steer them around there. It was a lot of fun today.”
Gaffalione completed the stakes sweep on Sunday aboard Temple City Terror for trainer Brendan Walsh in the Grade 3 Rood & Riddle Dowager for fillies and mares. Off as the second choice in the field of 10, Temple City Terror raced next to last down the backstretch before making a sweeping move on the far turn to take command at the top of the stretch. Temple City Terror was never challenged and posted a three-length win in a stakes-record time of 2:27.98 for the 1 1/2-mile turf test. The win was Gaffalione's fifth stakes of the fall meet.
Gaffalione, 28, looks to add the Keeneland jockey title to his list of Kentucky racing meet titles this year including the Churchill Downs spring/summer meet and the boutique meet at Kentucky Downs. He currently sits atop the Keeneland standings with 17 wins and four racing days to go in the fall meet.
Gaffalione's statistics for the week included total purse earnings of $805,605 to lead all jockeys.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Jeiron Barbosa with nine wins for the week, Eric Cancel who won a graded stakes at Belmont at the Big A, Paco Lopez with two stakes wins at the Maryland Million, and Jaime Rodriguez who also won two stakes at the Maryland Million.
The post Jockey Of The Week: Keeneland’s Leading Rider Tyler Gaffalione Sweeps Weekend Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
