New York rider Dylan Davis guided Miss Dracarys to her first career stakes win at Aqueduct to earn Jockey of the Week honors for Nov. 14 through Nov. 20. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, honors jockeys for 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.
On Sunday, regular rider Davis was aboard Miss Dracarys for Hall of Fame California trainer Neil Drysdale in the Forever Together Stakes. Hustled out of the gate, Miss Dracarys took command after an opening quarter of 24.35. She continued to maintain the advantage after six furlongs in 1:13.05. Miss Dracarys was challenged in mid-stretch by Evvie Jets under Eric Cancel but Miss Dracarys dug in, edging away for the win in 1:42.40 for the mile and one-sixteenth turf test.
“She ended up breaking well, I helped her get to the turn and found myself on the lead again, so just trying to make the last race,” said Davis. “She had kind of one pace, so I got into her at the three-eighths pole to get her run going and she's a fighter. When a horse challenges her, you saw her fight off the challenge.”
“Neil gave me instructions and thought we had to cover up and she did run well like that, but we tried something new two races back,” said Davis. “I still think she could do well covered up but she definitely has to be in the game going into that first turn.”
Davis's statistics for the week were 27-5-4-5 for a 51.8 in-the-money percentage and total purse earnings of $376,650.
Davis is the son of retired jockey Robbie Davis and is the brother of riders Jackie Davis and Katie Davis-McCarthy. He earned his first meet riding title in 2022, taking the Aqueduct 2021-2022 winter meet with 63 wins. Davis rode his 1,000th career winner aboard Heels Together at Belmont Park on May 13, 2022. He currently sits in fourth place at the Aqueduct meet.
Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Javier Castellano with seven wins for the week, Tyler Gaffalione who was the leading rider for the week in total purse earnings, Juan J. Hernandez who won the G3 Bob Hope at Del Mar, and Brian Hernandez, Jr. who won the G3 Chilukki at Churchill Downs
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