The leading rider of Gulfstream Park's 2021 Fall Meet and Spring/Summer meet is a native of Puerto Rico as well as a former student of the Escuela Vocacional Hípica jockey school there. He moved to South Florida to pursue a career in racing in 2012. Over the span of his decade-long career, Zayas has won 1,930 races and $55,080,460 in earnings. He is currently recovering from shoulder surgery and is likely to not make another start until the spring. 

Zayas discussed his stellar year of racing accomplishments, as well as his hopes for the future following rehabilitation from his current injury. 

Question: How did you get into horse racing?

Edgard Zayas: “I used to live close to a racetrack in Puerto Rico. I used to go to that racetrack all the time with my grandfather and I really loved it. I was always into sports, but I got to a point where I was 14 or 15 years old and I was a little too small to play any sports so I decided that I really wanted to try to be a jockey. I was 17 years old when I decided to join the jockey school in Puerto Rico. It was amazing. I think they have a really good system. They teach us everything from treating a horse to riding a horse. It's awesome because at that point I had never really been involved with horses so I didn't know how to work with horses and groom them and all that. At the jockey school they teach you everything from grooming a horse and doing stalls to riding them.”

Q: How did it feel to have such a good year and bring home a leading rider title from Gulfstream after having two years in a row interfered with by injuries?

E: “It felt great. This year I was still kind of dealing with a little injury in my shoulder and I decided to get surgery because it was bugging me all year, but luckily I have support from big trainers down here in South Florida. I had a great year that would've carried on to the winter so it was a tough decision to do it [get shoulder surgery].”

Q: What does the rehabilitation process for your shoulder injury consist of?

E: “Right now I'm in a sling for four weeks. After that I'll start some therapies and whenever I get my motion and my muscles back I can start galloping horses in the morning again and then decide from there. I'm looking at probably three or four months.”

Q: Do the areas that you injured remain vulnerable to potential arthritis or re-injury now? If so, what kind of special care or precautions do you have to take now that you didn't before?

E: “Yeah absolutely. The more injuries I get, I have to take care of myself more. I'm young, but I'll start getting older little by little. There's things I like to do outside of horse racing like I used to play basketball and stuff like that, but those are things that I now have to compromise for horse racing. I have to concentrate on what I do to not get re-injured.”

Q: Did you find that having to take that much time off from racing had any impact on your mental health? 

E: “Absolutely, and I've been doing really good every time I've gotten an injury, but it's really tough mentally. Hopefully I get a couple years of being healthy. That's all I can ask for.”

Q: Is it difficult to get momentum back with trainers after time away due to injuries?

E: “Luckily I've always got support when I come back and I'm able to get the ball rolling quick. Hopefully this time will be the same way. I'm going to try to come back stronger than ever, and finally I can ride confidently because this whole year I had that shoulder problem that was really bugging me. Hopefully when I come back I can come back one hundred percent and get the support and get the ball rolling for a better year.”

Q: Who is one other jockey that you look up to the most?

E: “Johnny V absolutely. Inside he's the best and outside he's the best.”

The post Edgard Zayas On Injury Rehabilitation And Coming Back ‘Stronger Than Ever’ appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Gulfstream Park-based 2-year-old son of Neolithic earned 10 qualifying points for this year's first leg of the Triple Crown with a thoroughly professional half-length victory over Osbourne as the 6-5 favorite.

“We are, obviously, very excited. He was stepping up in class, shipping for the first time and going two turns [for the first time]. He handled it all as good as you could ask for,” said Joseph, who didn't venture to Oklahoma for the Springboard Mile. “He sat in the pocket, made a move down the backside, and was gutsy enough to hold off Osbourne.”

The Florida-bred colt, who was purchased at the OBS April sale for $120,000, sat off a contested pace, made a three-wide sweep on the far turn, and prevailed over Osbourne following a stretch-long battle to remain undefeated in three starts.

“The [Feb 5] Holy Bull might come a little quick, but everything is still in play. Maybe the Fountain of Youth,” Joseph said. “We'll talk it over with the ownership group and Rick Sacco, the stable manager. He was the one that recommended after he won last time that we should try this race [Springboard Mile]. It turned out a perfect choice of race.”

Distance wouldn't seem to be a concern for the long-striding colt.

“You would think the more distance the better. That's how he trained. Up until six weeks before he made his debut, he kind of seemed he'd go long, long, long,” Joseph said. “He was lacking that early speed. When we put blinkers on him, they gave him that dynamic, showing some speed. We already knew he had the stamina. He's really turned around.”

Make It Big debuted with a front-running 8 ½-length victory at seven furlongs Oct. 8 before winning the seven-furlong Juvenile for Florida-breds by 2 ¼ lengths following an awkward break Oct. 30.

“He led the first time. The second time, he sat off [the pace]. This time, he sat between horses. He keeps getting better and better, slowly but surely. He's going in the right direction, that's what you want,” Joseph said.

Jose Ortiz rode Make It Big Friday night, filling in for Edgard Zayas, who recently underwent shoulder surgery.

“I want to give credit to Edgard. He was going there to ride him, but then the shoulder surgery came up. Edgard was going to have surgery on a Monday, and he came out to work him on Sunday,” Joseph said. “Edgard showed the class and work ethic that he has. Full credit to him. He's a big part of the team and he's a big part of this horse's success.”

Joseph also trains Triple Crown prospect White Abarrio, who captured his first two races impressively before finishing third in the Grade 2 Kentucky Jockey Club at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., Nov. 27.

“He's doing well. We gave him a little freshening. He's galloping, and he's going to have his first breeze back [Sunday],” Joseph said. “He's most likely going in the Holy Bull.”

The post Trainer Saffie Joseph Planning Make It Big’s Next Start appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

It was the second straight victory for jockey Edgard Zayas and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., who also teamed up with Face of Victory in the $75,000 Express. The winning time was 1:40.19 for about 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course.

“The race before, I told Edgard to be aggressive. This race I said, 'patience,' and he executed,” Joseph said. “Like most of the Claiming Crown races, you know your horse is doing well but like I was telling the owner, you can run third or fourth having run your race. Thankfully she ran her best today.”

Centsless Drama was quickest from the gate and led though a quarter-mile in :22.91, pressed by fellow longshot Act Like Artie. Zayas settled Sugar Fix in fourth, where they still were after a half in :47.26. They tipped outside and moved into a contending position on the turn, reeled in the leaders, and slingshot past for her 10th career victory.

Passion Plus got up for second, with Whimsical Muse third and 8-5 favorite Kahiko fourth.

Sugar Fix, a bay 4-year-old daughter of Treasure Beach, hadn't raced since finishing fourth in a one-mile, 70-yard allowance Sept. 8 at Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., a race she won last year heading into the Claiming Crown. In the 2020 Tiara, she took a 1 ½-length lead into the stretch but couldn't hold it and wound up second to Queens Embrace.

“Last year, she got a good trip, she just got beat. This year, I think she actually went into the race better,” Joseph said. “Last year, she won her prep at Kentucky Downs, and then kind of lost her way. I don't think she was at her best. This year, she got beat out there and then we couldn't get a race to go so she had a good freshening. I thought today she ran a good race. It was a tough race. You never know if you're going to win.”

The post Sugar Fix Surges Late To Take Claiming Crown Tiara Stakes appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

A split-second decision at the 3/8ths pole was the key to the Saffie Joseph Jr.-trained 5-year-old gelding's upset victory over heavily favored Kalu, who broke sharply to take the early lead. Face of Victory, who broke from the rail post position and was ridden aggressively by Zayas, slipped inside the favorite on the backstretch. Gulfstream's Fall Meet titlist quickly thought better of an inside challenge, easing up on his mount long enough to be able to guide him off the rail to make an outside challenge in the stretch. Face of Victory kicked on through the stretch to prevail by 1 ¼ lengths.

“Saffie gave me a lot of confidence in the paddock. He said, 'Take it to [Kalu]. His only weakness is at the end where he tends to stop a little bit. He said, 'Take it to him early if you can. Make him earn his money,'” Zayas said. “At the three-eighths pole, the other horse started to make his move early. At that point, I gave my horse a little breather and took him outside. He came running at the end.”

Face of Victory, who was claimed for $10,000 in August, ran six furlongs in 1:10.52 to upset Kalu, who held on to second by a head over third-place finisher Aequor.

Zayas and Joseph came right back to win the $95,000 Tiara in the following race with Sugar Fix.

The post Zayas Guides Face Of Victory To Winner’s Circle In Claiming Crown Express appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Zayas began the week extending his lead in the standing with a 4-win day on Thursday. Zayas swept the early double for trainers Eddie Plesa, Jr. and Saffie Joseph, Jr. He went on the post wins in races four and six also for Saffie Joseph, Jr. who won the leading trainer title at the Fall Meet.

Zayas continued accumulating wins on Friday for trainers Antonio Sano and Saffie Joseph, Jr. in races six and eight respectively. Saturday, trainer Darien Rodriguez gave a leg up to Zayas in race nine and on Closing Day Sunday, the Saffie Joseph, Jr. and Zayas duo combined to win two races.

A 28-year-old native of Puerto Rico, Zayas dominated the standings finishing with 43 wins, 14 more than his nearest rival and more than $1.2 million in purses. Zayas also won the leading rider title during Gulfstream Park's Spring/Summer Meet.

“I'm really happy and blessed. I'm really appreciative of all the opportunities I get from the owners and trainers,” Zayas said to the Gulfstream Park media. “The quality of horses in South Florida this time of year is getting better and I've been getting on some nice horses. Hopefully there are some big things coming up.”

Zayas is looking to improve on last year's 5th place finish during the Championship Meet at Gulfstream which begins on Friday, Dec. 3.

“I'm looking forward to the Championship Meet. I'm super, super excited,” said Zayas.

Zayas's weekly statistics were 26-9-3-5 for an in-the-money percentage of 65.3 and $228,750 in total purses.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were David Cabrera also with nine wins, Sonny Leon who posted the most wins with 10, Joel Rosario who won the G3 Chilukki at Churchill Downs and Pedro Terrero with an in-the-money percentage of 64.7

The post Edgard Zayas’ Nine Wins Earn Jockey Of The Week Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Joseph, whose 36 victories during the fall more than doubled the total of nearest competitor Jorge Delgado, finished second behind perennial leader Todd Pletcher during last season's Championship Meet, eight wins behind the Hall of Famer's total of 58 wins.

“The Championship Meet is Todd's meet. Last year, we were pretty close, but we didn't have as many horses as we have this year. I think we can give him a run for his money,” Joseph said. “He's a legend at Gulfstream. What is it, 15, 16, 17 years? We hope to follow in his footsteps and one day take a run at him. Will it be this year, next year, or the future? I think with the horses were getting and with so many owners supporting us, I think it's possible.”

The 34-year-old Barbados native has long been a fan of the newly inducted Hall of Famer, who has captured 18 consecutive Championship Meet titles.

“I grew up coming here from Barbados on holiday when I was 16, 17, seeing Todd. I would just bet Todd and Johnny V [Velazquez]. That was my favorite combination,” Joseph said. “Just being able to compete against him – he's an icon trainer – I'm just thankful to be in this position.”

Joseph understands he, alone, can't dethrone the longstanding king of Gulfstream.

“I'm just thankful for the horses we have for the people we train for. We have a good team. That's the important thing – you need the horses and a good team behind you,” Joseph said.

Joseph did get the better of Pletcher Sunday when he saddled Girolamo's Attack ($4.20) for a front-running victory in the $60,000 Miami Gardens Handicap. Pletcher-trained Fearless, who captured the Grade 2 Gulfstream Park Mile in February, finished second while coming off a six-month layoff.

Jockey Edgard Zayas, who dominated the Fall Meet title race with 43 wins, once again enjoyed success while teaming with Joseph Sunday while guiding Girolamo's Attack to victory in the mile overnight handicap, in which he carried five pounds fewer than Fearless, the 125-pound highweight.

Girolamo's Attack, who captured the Oct. 27 Miami Beach Handicap in similar fashion, set fractions of :24.12 for the first quarter and :46.57 for the first half mile before holding off Fearless through the stretch to win by a length in 1:34.50.

“His last race was a huge race, but I wasn't sure if because the fractions were so slow, he kicked on and got brave. But today, he definitely showed he's getting better and getting to be a nice horse,” Zayas said. “Early in this horse's career, he had some mental problems. He was a little crazy, but I think he's getting it all together. Today, he acted super professional.”

Fresh off a dominant Spring/Summer Meet title campaign, the 28-year-old native of Puerto Rico finished with 14 wins more than runner-up Chantal Sutherland.

“I'm really happy and blessed. I'm really appreciative of all the opportunities I get from the owners and trainers,” Zayas said. “The quality of horses in South Florida this time of year is getting better, and I've been getting on some nice horses. Hopefully, there are some big things coming up.”

Zayas finished fifth in wins and purses-won during the 2020-2021 Championship Meet and looks forward to the upcoming winter meet that gets underway Dec. 3.

“It's definitely a new challenge. We did pretty good last year. We finished in the Top 5. I'm looking forward to the Championship Meet. I'm super, super excited,” Zayas said.

Zayas and Joseph also teamed for a victory with Designed for Kitten ($6.40) in the Fall Meet's finale.

In Sunday's co-featured Opa-Locka, a mile overnight handicap for fillies and mares, Helping Lisa D ($9.40) pulled off a mild upset following a ground-saving ride by Paco Lopez. The Steven Dwoskin-trained 6-year-old daughter of Flat Out, rated well off the early pace set by 8-5 favorite Dance d'Oro before rallying along the rail to score by 1 ½ lengths in 1:36.50.

The post Saffie Joseph Jr. Sets His Sights On Winning Gulfstream Championship Meet Training Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The 5 ½-furlong sprint for 2-year-old fillies will be highlighted in the Rainbow 6 sequence, which will span Races 4-9. The jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $300,000 Sunday at Gulfstream Park, where the popular multi-race wager went unsolved Saturday for the 11th racing day following a $461,035.47 jackpot payoff Oct. 9.

Last Leaf has an experience edge over her five rivals, having won three of six starts while demonstrating the versatility to win on both dirt and turf. The daughter of Not This Time, who broke her maiden on a fast main track in her second career start, will seek her third straight victory Sunday. She ran away with a six-furlong optional claiming allowance by 10 ¾ lengths over a sealed sloppy track Sept. 4 before scoring a narrow victory in the five-furlong Hollywood Beach on turf three weeks later.

“I asked for this race,” trainer Ronald Spatz said. “It will be fun to find out if she can win on four different surfaces. She's won on dirt, a sloppy track, and turf.”

Miguel Vasquez has the return mount.

“She's a nice little filly. She's got little feet; she's blocky; and she runs hard,” Spatz said. “She's a good little sprinter.”

Trainer Michael Stidham, who will maintain a division at Gulfstream for the first time during the Championship Meet, will be represented by Godolphin's Kit Keller, who is coming off a debut victory in a five-furlong maiden special weight race on turf at Laurel Sept. 9.

Edgard Zayas has the call on the homebred daughter of Ghostzapper.

The post Gulfstream’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed At $300,000 Sunday appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

In addition, Make It Big, the 4-5 favorite in the seven-furlong sprint for Florida-bred 2-year-olds, was Joseph's 12th winner from his last 21 starters, including two winners at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y., and one at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky.

“Racing is a streaky game. We had a slow Saratoga. It was our first year in New York and we won two Grade 1s, two Grade 3s, and then you go through a slow Saratoga and people like to forget. It's amazing how people can throw you away so quick, and then want you when you get hot,” said Joseph, who also won Saturday's Hudson Handicap at Belmont with Ny Traffic. “You just try to stay steady and try to overcome. You're always going to hit hot spells and you're always going to hit slow spells. My job is to keep the team together, so that when we're down, we keep our heads together. It's always going to level out at the end of the year. You're never going to win a 40 or 30 percent consistently. You're always going to level out and be at 21, 22 [percent]. It's going to go through spells, and you just try and get through them.”

Prior to scoring with Make It Big, Joseph and Zayas teamed for victories with Sister Lou Ann ($4) in Race 3, Jeha ($9.80) in Race 4, and Fate of Ophelia ($17.40) in Race 7.

“Edgard rides a lot for us, and he rides a good race,” Joseph said. “He's a big part of the team.”

Make It Big, who was coming off an 8 ½-length front-running debut victory at Gulfstream three weeks ago, broke a step slowly from his rail post position before assuming a stalking position along the rail behind pacesetter Just Leo, a full brother to multiple graded-stakes winner Firenze Fire, along the backstretch and into the far turn. Just Leo, who set early fractions of :23.08 and :46.31, tired on the turn into the homestretch as Lightening Larry made a three-wide sweep to the lead entering the stretch with Make It Big still trapped behind horses.

Lightening Larry kicked in through the stretch under Romero Maragh but was unable to hold off Make It Big, who launched an outside rally after Zayas finally found running room at the top of the stretch.

“Last time, he broke on the lead, and I didn't expect him to be on the lead. Today was much different,” Joseph said. “He broke; he was behind; he had a tough trip; and he was able to overcome it. I think he's a horse that's going to progress. As the distances get longer, I think he's going to get better.”

Make It Big, a son of Neolithic, ran seven furlongs in 1:25. Lightening Larry held second, 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Clapton.

The post Make It Big Adds To Joseph Jr.’s Four-Win Day At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

The Miami Beach, a mile overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up, closed out the stakes action on Saturday's 10-race program that also featured the $60,000 Journeyman Stud Juvenile, a mile-and-70-yard race for Florida-bred 2-year-olds on Tapeta, and the $60,000 Khozan Juvenile Fillies Sprint, a six-furlong stakes for Florida-bred 2-year-old fillies.

A couple of hours after Joseph was represented in the Belmont Park winner's circle by Shifty She following her victory in the Grade 3 Noble Damsel at the Elmont, N.Y., track, Girolamo pulled off an upset in the Miami Beach that caught his trainer by surprise.

“I'm surprised to be honest with you,” Joseph said. “I know he wants to do this (one-turn mile), his race at Belmont (one-turn 1 1/16-mile) was really good. He doesn't want seven-eighths. Today was a tough race. I didn't think he could win. I thought if he ran his best race, he could be pretty close. Then, he acted up in the race, and I said 'Aww, everything is done.'”

A showdown between graded-stakes winners Eye of a Jedi and King Guillermo had been expected by the bettors but it never developed between the two 5-2 betting chances. King Guillermo broke alertly to press the pace set by Quenane but weakened on the turn into the homestretch, while Eye of a Jedi raced in traffic and was never a factor.

Girolamo's Attack, who finished off the board in two sprints at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in his last two starts, stalked the pace while racing three-wide into the stretch before taking command in mid-stretch. Glory of Florida, a 20-1 long shot ridden by Miguel Vasquez, made a serious late bid, but Girolamo's Attack responded to the urging from Edgard Zayas to prevail by three-quarters of a length.

“At the quarter-pole, it looked like he was going to win pretty easy, but at the sixteenth-pole, it looked like he was going to get beat,” Joseph said. “That horse was coming at him, but that was where Edgard made the difference. He got him to engage and find a little bit more.”

Girolamo's Attack ran a mile in 1:35.95 in his return to Gulfstream, where he last won an optional claiming allowance before shipping to New York.

Glory of Florida finished 3 ¼ lengths clear of third-place finisher Pro Quality. King Guillermo finished fourth. Eye of a Jedi finished seventh.

The post Girolamo’s Attack Victorious In Miami Beach Handicap At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Owned by former Major League Baseball star Victor Martinez's Victoria's Ranch, King of Dreams was coming off a pair of off-the-board finishes in turf stakes at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J. The 3-year-old son of Air Force Blue had previously won twice in five starts over Gulfstream's turf course.

King of Dreams' victories were achieved in front-running fashion while racing around two turns, but jockey Emisael Jaramillo employed opposite tactics Saturday for the one-turn 5 ½-furlong overnight handicap for 3-year-olds and up over the all-weather surface. The Kentucky-bred 3-year-old settled well behind pacesetter and 4-5 favorite Wind of Change, who was closely stalked by Harry's Ontheloose and Yes I Am Free along the backstretch and far turn. Wind of Change held off Harry's Ontheloose through the stretch but was unable to withstand the far-outside surge of King of Dreams, who prevailed by three-quarters of a length at 11-1.

King of Dreams ran 5 ½ furlongs in 1:06.42. Wind of Change finished second, a neck ahead of Harry's Ontheloose.

Earlier on the program, trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. saddled Make It Big for a most promising debut victory in a seven-furlong maiden special weight race for 2-year-olds. Owned by Red Oak Stable, the Florida-bred son of Neolithic scored an 8 ½ -length front-running triumph under Edgard Zayas. The 4-5 favorite was bought at the OBS April sale for $120,000.

Rajiv Maragh is back in winning form after a slow start to the 2021 season. The multiple Grade 1 stakes-winning jockey with more than 1900 wins and $100 million in purses-won visited the winner's circle for the fourth time in the last two days with Free Play ($8.80) in Saturday's Race 9. Maragh, who multiple Grade 1 stakes aboard champion Groupie Doll and Main Sequence, rode three winners on Friday's program.

The post King Of Dreams Takes Oakland Park At Gulfstream appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post