brandon o'bryan | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘Like Old Times’: Van Dyke Excited To Be Back At Del Mar

Jockey Drayden Van Dyke wasn't gone from the Southern California racing circuit all that long. It was only a few months, from late March to early July, when the 26-year-old from Louisville went back to his Kentucky roots, plying his trade at Churchill Downs, Keeneland and Turfway Park.

Statistically, it was not a triumphant return to his old Kentucky home. Wins came at roughly a 10 percent rate for just over 100 mounts with the highlight being a victory in the Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway aboard Like The King and a subsequent 12^th-place finish on the same horse in his first Kentucky Derby opportunity.

“I did miss California a lot,” Van Dyke admitted here Tuesday morning. “There's no place like it.”

California riding exploits earned Van Dyke an Eclipse Award as the top apprentice of 2014. And he had career year at Del Mar in 2018 when he won both the summer and fall titles at the seaside track north of San Diego, and, during the summer stand, won 11 stakes races – one third of his current seaside track total.

But, as Van Dyke pointed out in interviews shortly before leaving Kentucky, he has no regrets about the temporary self-transplant and expects it to have long-term benefits.

“I enjoyed my experience in Kentucky, it was a good learning experience and now it's onwards and upwards,” Van Dyke said.

“A change can be good for anybody.”

Van Dyke was represented by Hall of Fame jockey Gary Stevens during part of his time in the Midwest. But with Stevens back at Saratoga, N.Y., working as an expert commentator on New York Racing Association and other broadcasts, Van Dyke's book is being handled by Brandon O'Bryan, a third-generation jockey agent. Brandon's grandfather George, a legend in the business who represented five Hall of Famers at one time or another in a lengthy career, passed away in February at the age of 100. Brandon's father, Craig, came out of semi-retirement last year to work with Juan Hernandez on a highly successful transition from the Northern to Southern California circuit.

“I can't wait to get to work with Brandon and see what we can do,” Van Dyke said. “I'm excited to be back at Del Mar, excited that there's going to be fans around again. It's like old times. I'm in a really good state of mind and I want to build my business back up and get into a winning mode.”

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Pyfer Getting Her Mounts Out Of The Gate And Into Winner’s Circle

Jessica Pyfer set what is believed to be a record in California last Sunday at Santa Anita in Arcadia by becoming the first female apprentice rider to win four races in one day.

The 23-year-old Denver native won the second race on Rakasasah, the third on Joe Don Looney, the seventh aboard Lofty and the ninth on Sweet Devil.

The step-daughter of leading trainer Phil D'Amato, Pyfer has 31 victories, good for sixth in Santa Anita's jockey standings.

“We're excited, but we never thought it could be a record for apprentices,” said her agent, Brandon O'Bryan.

“We were happy with winning four,” added O'Bryan, a third-generation agent, following in the footsteps of his late grandfather, George, and his father, Craig, who represents Juan Hernandez.

“It always helps to have the support of the leading trainer in your corner,” Brandon said, “but Jessica is well-liked and very talented. I think her best trait is getting horses out of the gate.”

And getting them to the wire first, too.

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George O’Bryan, Agent For Five Hall Of Fame Jockeys, Passes At 100

Regarded as one of the best jockey agents in America for decades, George O'Bryan, who turned 100 years of age on Oct. 25, passed away early Thursday afternoon at Arcadia Methodist Hospital, according to his son, Craig O'Bryan.

One of nine children, George Albert O'Bryan was born in Taylorville, Ill., and left home at age 16 for a career in racing, which included a brief stint as a jockey, riding for eventual Hall of Fame conditioners Ben Jones and his son, Jimmy, in the Midwest.

Athletic, hard working and tremendously knowledgeable, O'Bryan went from exercise boy to jockey to jockey agent, representing many jockeys, including five Hall of Fame riders, Johnny Adams, Ralph Neves, Manuel Ycaza, Laffit Pincay, Jr. and Donald Pierce, spanning parts of six decades from the 1940s into the 1990s.

When asked what his secret was for working with so many top jocks, O'Bryan jokingly responded, “You've got to keep getting fired!”

In a rough and tumble business that has always required sharp elbows, none were ever any sharper than O'Bryan's, who was known as an agent who could and would move lesser riders off any horse that he knew his rider would fit.

George O'Bryan (Benoit photo)

When asked years ago if he preferred to wait until the next morning to follow up with the trainer of a well-backed horse that got beat with anything resembling a questionable ride in an important race, O'Bryan responded with a twinkle in his eye:

“No, you go to the man right then, preferably with the owner right there. If you see a muck-sack ride, you take advantage of it.”

Following his career as an agent, O'Bryan, along with his late wife Mercedes, was also an owner/breeder of note in California. His biggest achievement in the breeding arena came with the Don B. mare, Don's Quillo, who was the dam of Megan's Interco, an earner of $1,062,000.

An avid golfer until about 10 years ago, O'Bryan and his wife were regular race day attendees at Santa Anita long after his retirement as an agent and he and his wife relished reminiscing with the many racing figures they had known throughout his career at Santa Anita's annual George Woolf Memorial Award functions.

George O'Bryan was predeceased by his wife Mercedes (2016) and is survived by his son Craig, who is currently representing Santa Anita's leading rider Juan Hernandez, daughter Shannon, grandsons Brandon (agent for apprentice Jessica Pyfer) and Kyle, as well as three great grandchildren.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there are no services planned at this time.

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