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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.

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Journeymen Victor Carrasco and Kevin Gomez will each miss time following a spill in the first race on Friday's Maryland Million eve program at Laurel Park.

Carrasco, 30, suffered a dislocated thumb according to his agent, Scotty Silver. He was hurt when his horse, 3-year-old colt Hooky Player, fell approaching the wire while rallying into second in the 1 1/8-mile turf claimer. Hooky Player, racing for Colts Neck Stable and trainer Jorge Duarte Jr., was euthanized.

“He got very lucky,” Silver said. “We don't have a timetable yet or anything like that. We'll know more on Tuesday when he goes to the specialist.”

A winner of nearly 1,200 career races who was voted the 2013 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice, Carrasco was named in seven of the eight stakes and four starter stakes that comprised Saturday's 37th Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program.

One of his mounts, R. Larry Johnson and RDM Racing Stable's Sky's Not Falling, captured the $100,000 Turf Sprint with jockey Paco Lopez aboard. Carrasco is the fifth-leading rider with 61 wins in Maryland this year.

“He's as good as he can be. It's tough to get hurt the day before Maryland Million Day,” Silver said. “It's not catastrophic but he'll be out for a little bit. We'll see.”

Agent Frank Douglas said the 28-year-old Gomez was injured after being unseated when his horse, 4-year-old gelding Casamo, tripped over the fallen Hooky Player.

“He fractured his collarbone, so they're talking about six to eight weeks,” Douglas said.

Gomez, a finalist for the 2016 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice, and Carrasco were at Laurel Park for Maryland Million Day. Gomez was replaced on his eight mounts including NRS Stable, James Chambers and Avalon Farm's Coconut Cake, winner of the $125,000 Ladies under Sheldon Russell.

After the race, Russell pledged to give 50 percent of his share of the winner's $68,750 purse to Gomez.

“He's good. He's very positive,” Douglas said of Gomez. “He was walking around and he brought some family with him. He had a good time. He goes to the doctor next week and we'll see what happens.”

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Murray Friedlander, a former trainer and bloodstock agent, died Oct. 22. He was 98.

Friedlander trained for such owners as Nelson Bunker Hunt, William Haggin Perry, and the Cohen family, owners of Pimlico. He won the 1974 Golden Gate Handicap with Acclimatization for Hunt.

Because of his familiarity with bloodstock in France, England, and elsewhere in Europe, Friedlander facilitated the purchase of many horses who found success in the U. S., including Amen II, winner of the Hollywood Derby, and the Del Mar Derby victor Daros.

Since the 1970s he scouted prospects for trainer Ron McAnally. The notable resulting purchases included Northern Spur, the 1995 Breeders' Cup Turf winner, and Dr Devious, bought as a birthday present for Sidney Craig to run in the 1992 Kentucky Derby. Although a disappointment in the Derby, he was sent back to his English trainer and won the Epsom Derby.

Friedlander was born and raised in Baltimore within sight of Pimlico, where he was introduced to the sport. He interrupted studies at the University of North Carolina during World War II to enlist in the U. S. Army. He served in Intelligence in China. Returning to U.N.C., he earned a B.A. degree and then decided to go to Paris to study at the Sorbonne.

In France, the lure of racing had Friedlander working with horses in the mornings, including with renowned trainer Francois Mathet, and attending classes in the afternoons. He returned to the United States where he trained on his own, as well as spending several years as assistant trainer to James Maloney in the era of Gamely, Princessnesian, Desert Law,  Boldnesian, Jacinto, and Dewan in the late 1960s.

He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Susanna Friedlander.

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George Isaacs, general manager of the historic Bridlewood Farm located in Ocala, was elected president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association at the board meeting that followed the Oct. 21 annual member meeting. Isaacs said he was grateful to be elected president by his fellow board members.

“I am honored and humbled to be elected by my peers to this important position. Being an active manager of a large Florida breeding operation, I hope to do my part in continuing to bolster the Florida breeding and racing industry, ” Isaacs said.

FTBOA board members Marilyn Campbell of Tyngsboro, Mass., and Joe O'Farrell III of Ocala extended their terms on the board while Jerry Campbell, of Tampa; Mike Hall of Parkersburg, W.Va., and Mary Lightner of Williston were named to the board for the first time. They will each serve a three-year term that will run until October 2025.

Leaving the board because of term limits as outlined in the FTBOA by-laws were Valerie Dailey, who served as FTBOA president from October 2021 through October 2022, and past presidents Brent Fernung and Phil Matthews, DVM. As past presidents, all remain on the board without voting privileges with as immediate past chair also continuing to serve on the executive committee.

The board also selected the remaining executive committee officers for 2022-'23 with Isaacs as president while George Russell, who owns Rustlewood Farm in Reddick, was named first vice president. Francis Vanlangendonck, who operates Summerfield in Morriston, was named second vice president; and O'Farrell will serve as treasurer. Nick de Meric, who operates de Meric Stables and Sales in Ocala, was elected as secretary.

Isaacs has a long history serving the Florida Thoroughbred industry as an FTBOA officer and serving five terms on the FTBOA board.

He became stallion manager at Arthur Appleton's Bridlewood Farm in Ocala in 1989 before becoming the general manager for Allen Paulson's Brookside South Farm in 1992. In 1996, Isaacs returned to Bridlewood as general manager and currently manages operations there with John and Leslie Malone, who purchased the farm in 2013.

During his tenure at Bridlewood, more than 100 Florida-bred stakes winners and 12 Grade 1 winners have been bred by the farm.

Isaacs is the chair of the Equine Studies Program at the College of Central Florida, is a Horse Farms Forever board member and an AdventHealth Ocala Foundation board member. Isaacs is the chair for the FTBOA Ocala Downtown Thoroughbred Walk of Fame committee and serves on the FTBOA Farmland Preservation Work Group.

Marilyn Campbell, along with her late husband Gil Campbell, established the 600-acre Stonehedge Farm South in Williston in 1988. Since then, the farm has been a perennial industry leader as the top producer of Florida-breds foals annually from 2016-'22. In 2021, Stonehedge was the second leading Florida-bred breeder by earnings with $2.5 million.

Stonehedge has bred 89 black type stakes winners including millionaires Blazing Sword and Marlin and graded stakes-winners Always Sunshine, Well Defined, Ivanavinalot and Me and Mr. C.

O'Farrell is an Ocala native and his passion for Thoroughbreds comes from growing up on the family farm, Ocala Stud, the oldest active Thoroughbred farm in the state. A graduate of Erskine College with a bachelor's degree in business administration with an emphasis in accounting, O'Farrell became a manager of Ocala Stud in 2004, managing the financial side of the farm.

Ocala Stud has been a perennial leading commercial breeder in Florida and has either solely or in partnership bred more than 100 stakes winners including Eclipse Award champion Musical Romance and graded stakes-winners Turbulent Descent, Tackleberry, Rigoletta, Gourmet Dinner and Shadowbdancing.

Jerry Campbell is a veteran banker and longtime Thoroughbred owner and breeder for more than 55 years. He is the chair/CEO of the bank holding company, New South Bancorp, Inc., in Tampa and was founder and has served as chair of HomeBancorop, Inc., and chair and CEO at Republic Bancorp since 1986.

Campbell is also a former officer and director of Frank Stronach's Magna Entertainment joining current FTBOA CEO Lonny Powell at the time.

Among the horses raced by Campbell are stakes-winners Crash Pad, Diamond Gate, Mont Ridge, Post It, Proud Ridge, Sea Legs, Terko Bates, Axe of Courage, I Match Too, This Cats on Fire, Wave Pool, Charlies Fire and Valley Loot. He currently has roughly two dozen horses in training, many of which are Florida-breds.

Mike Hall is the co-owner of the successful racing stable Breeze Easy with partner Sam Ross. Founded in 2016, Breeze Easy has rapidly established itself in Thoroughbred racing, breeding and sales and has campaigned graded stakes winners on both sides of the Atlantic and presented top quality offering at leading weanling and broodmare sales. In just a few years, Breeze Easy horses have visited the winner's circle at both Royal Ascot and the Breeders' Cup.

Mary Lightner is a licensed trainer from a well-regarded, longstanding Thoroughbred family. The Lightner family owns and operates their broodmare farm in Williston and they break and train 20-30 yearlings each year at Oakridge Training Center in Morriston.

Mary established Shooting Star Thoroughbreds, a racing syndicate, with the awareness that there is a growing interest and passion for Thoroughbred partnerships. Shoot Star Thoroughbreds has brought well over 100 new owners to the business.

Formed in 2019, Shooting Star Thoroughbreds campaigned Florida-bred champion 2-year-old Chance It, a dual winner of the FTBOA Florida Sire Stakes. Chance It currently stands at Journeyman Stallions in Ocala.

Other returning FTBOA board members include Fred Brei, T. Paul Bulmahn, Laurine Fuller-Vargas, Bobby Jones, Milan Kosanovich and Dr. Fred Yutani. Lonny Powell enters his 11th year at the Association helm as the CEO and executive vice president.

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