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Tyler Gaffalione’s 10 Victories Earn Jockey Of The Week Title

With 10 wins including a Grade 3 stakes, Tyler Gaffalione was voted Jockey of the Week for May 17 through May 23. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Riding at Churchill Downs, Gaffalione began the race week on Thursday with two victories, then two three-win days Friday and Saturday including the Grade 3 Winning Colors, culminating with two wins on Sunday. His 10 wins were for eight different trainers.

Trainer Greg Foley tapped Gaffalione to ride Sconsin for the first time in the Grade 3 Winning Colors for fillies and mares four-years-old and up going six furlongs on the main track. Sconsin broke from the rail in the field of five and comfortably tracked the leading trio of Rising Seas, Frank's Rockette and Tipsy Gal after a quarter mile. Gaffalione guided Sconsin to the outside on the turn and blew past those foes to draw off and win by 3-1/4 lengths in 1:08.80.

“Everything set up like we thought it would,” Gaffalione said. “The speed went on and set quick fractions. We were able to sit back and bide our time. When I put her out at the top of the lane she finished the job.”

The Winning Colors was Gaffalione's seventh graded stakes victory of the year.

Gaffalione, the 2015 Eclipse Award winner as Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, currently sits atop the jockey standings at Churchill Downs with 23 wins through May 23. His weekly statistics were 26-10-3-5 for a win rate of 38.4 percent and an in-the-money percentage of 69.2. He led all jockeys in purse earnings with $577,310.

Gaffalione out-polled Alex Birzer who recorded nine wins, Jose L. Ortiz with $306,378 in purse earnings, Jose Andres Guerrero with eight wins for the week and Mike Smith who won the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes.

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Despite Boycott Threat, Monmouth Doesn’t Expect Jockey Shortage Over New Whip Rules

The strictest whip rules in the country will see their first use on May 28, opening day at Monmouth Park in Oceanport, NJ. Instituted by the state's racing commission, the rules allow jockeys to use the whip when needed for safety reasons.

According to the Asbury Park Press, some jockeys have threatened to boycott the 2021 meet at Monmouth, with several regular NJ riders indicating plans to head elsewhere on social media.

“I wouldn't say it's a boycott. It's a decision,” Terry Mayocks, president and CEO of the Jockeys' Guild, told APP earlier this month. “We had a meeting when the stay was denied and just explained it to everyone and the process we've gone through the last year-and-a-half, and everyone basically said we don't feel comfortable. And if they can stay in Florida or go to other racetracks, that's an individual decision they will have to make.”

Dennis Drazin, chairman and CEO of Darby Development LLC, which operates Monmouth Park, isn't concerned, saying: “We expect to have enough riders to put on the show and I think we will be successful.”

The purse structure at Monmouth will draw jockeys from other states if positions are open, Drazin continued.

In addition, Drazin has spoken with Meyocks about repercussions for jockeys accepting mounts at Monmouth and then not showing up to ride, forcing cancellation of racing.

“The Racing Commission would have the power to bring them in and give them a hearing and suspend them for conduct detrimental to racing and then they can't ride anywhere in the country, because there's reciprocity between racing commissions,” Drazin explained.

Flavien Prat’s Preakness Ride Nets Jockey Of The Week Honors

Flavien Prat won his first Preakness Stakes with a powerful stretch run earning Jockey of the Week honors for May 10 through May 16. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Saddling his first runner in a Triple Crown race, trainer Michael McCarthy gave a leg up to Flavien Prat on Rombauer in the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of the Triple Crown. Riding the 3-year-old for the first time, Prat raced between horses in sixth place in the 10-horse field. Prat and Rombauer launched their bid from the outside on the final turn passing the pacesetters Medina Spirit and Midnight Bourbon in the stretch for the decisive 3-1/2 lengths victory.

“I was pretty confident going to the three-eighths pole,” Prat said. “I was behind the two favorites and I was travelling well. I thought if he switched leads and give me a good kick, I might be able to run them down.”

Rombauer covered the 1-3/16th miles in 1:53.62 returning $25.60 for the win.

Speaking to NBC after the race, Prat said: “It does feel different. Oh, what a feeling. I'm so thankful to [trainer] Michael [McCarthy] and all his team. I want to thank the groom and the pony girl, because he was quite on his toes before the race and I thought they did a great job.”

Prat continued, clearly humbled by the win.

“To be honest, when I left France it was to do better than what I was doing in France,” he said. “I didn't know the magnitude of these races. I knew a lot about the Breeders' Cup but the Triple Crown I didn't know much about it. I realize how important it is. There's so much history behind these races. To win one is amazing. To win the Preakness, it's even better.”

Prat's weekly statistics were 9-1-1-2 for an in-the-money rate of 44.4 percent and total purse earnings of $669,040. He sits comfortably atop the jockey standings at Santa Anita with 102 wins through May 16. He registered his 1,000th North American victory on Feb. 19, 2021 and has amassed 11 Southern California riding titles.

For Jockey of the Week, Prat out-polled Edwin Gonzalez who tied for number of wins with nine, Joel Rosario with two stakes wins including the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan, Diego Saenz with eight wins, and John Velazquez who won two graded stakes.

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Juan Hernandez Voted Jockey Of The Week With Seven Victories

With a determined stretch run aboard Neige Blanche (FR), Juan J. Hernandez won the Grade 3 Santa Barbara Stakes to earn Jockey of the Week for May 3 through May 9. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

Given a leg up by trainer Leonard Powell, Hernandez rode Neige Blanche (FR) for just the second time in the Santa Barbara Stakes after a fourth place finish in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes in March. In a field of seven fillies and mares three-years-old and up, Neige Blanche (FR), which translates to white snow in English, managed to just get up at the wire over Rideforacause in a thrilling renewal of the 1-1/2 mile marathon on the Santa Anita downhill turf course. The final time was 2:28.01.

“It was really close, it could probably go both ways, 50-50, inside or outside and thanks to my filly, we got it,” said Hernandez who chalked up his third win of the day and his seventh stakes win. “It was better, because last time I think we were a little too close to the pace and today, I was a little bit more (relaxed). Two horses in front of me and she relaxed pretty well. Around the quarter pole, when I asked her to go, she responded really well.”

Hernandez, 28 years old, was born in Perote, Veracruz, Mexico where he started his riding career also riding in Puerto Rico. He came to northern California in 2010 and established himself at Golden Gate Fields winning numerous riding titles. He shifted his tack permanently to southern California last summer during the Los Alamitos Thoroughbred meeting. He is currently in second place behind Flavien Prat at the Winter/Spring Santa Anita meeting.

Hernandez's weekly stats were 15-7-1-1 with a 46.6 win percentage and 60 percent in-the-money. His total purse earnings for the week were $256,680.

For Jockey of the Week, Hernandez out polled David Cabrera who was the leading rider by number of wins, Santiago Gonzalez who was second in number of wins, Joel Rosario who was the leading jockey by purses won and John Velazquez who won the Grade 1 Man o' War.

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