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‘We’ve Been Blessed’: Gaffalione On Cusp Of Second Riding Title At Churchill Downs

With two days remaining in the 27-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs, 25-year-old Tyler Gaffalione is well on track to his second leading rider title at Churchill Downs with an eight-win cushion over 19-time local leader Corey Lanerie (30-to-22) in the jockey standings.

Gaffalione, a native of South Florida, began riding full time at Churchill Downs during the 2018 Fall Meet and won the leading rider title by one victory over Brian Hernandez Jr. and Lanerie. Represented by Matt Muzikar, Gaffalione's win-clip was a stout 21 percent prior to Saturday's 11-race program where he was named to ride eight races.

“We've been so blessed to have such a successful meet,” Gaffalione said. “I can't thank everyone enough for their support throughout the meet. It's been an awesome two months and it was great to get back to Churchill.”

Some of Gaffalione's notable winners included a comeback allowance victory aboard multiple Grade I-winner Guarana in an allowance event on June 4; a 1 ½-length allowance score aboard likely Blue Grass Stakes (GII) contender Man in the Can; and a one-length win aboard Field Pass in the $100,000 Audubon Stakes. Gaffalione is scheduled to ride at Saratoga over the summer before returning to Kentucky for the September and Fall Meet.

In the race for the Spring Meet's trainer and owner title, Brad Cox began Saturday with a 15-12 win margin over Steve Asmussen while Ken and Sarah Ramsey had a one-win lead, 4-to-3, over Calumet Farm, Maggi Moss, Steve Landers Racing, Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch and Gary and Mary West.

Racing will conclude on Sunday with a nine-race program and a first post of 1 p.m. There will be a mandatory payout for all exotic wagers including the Single 6 Jackpot, which stood at $33,382 at the start of racing on Saturday. For free past performances, visit www.churchilldowns.com/handicapping.

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Frank Alexander, 82, Trainer Of Champion Cherokee Run, Passes

Frank A. Alexander, whose training career spanned five decades, died on Friday in South Florida at the age of 82.

Mr. Alexander won 997 races from 1970 until his retirement in 2012, the biggest coming in the 1994 Breeders' Cup Sprint with Cherokee Run, who would be voted an Eclipse Award as the year's outstanding sprinter. Cherokee Run, who won five other stakes and finished second to Prairie Bayou in the 1993 Preakness, went on to a highly successful stud career at Darley at Jonabell in Lexington, Ky.

He trained 73 other stakes winners during his career, including Grade 1 winners K.J.'s Appeal, Wallenda, Nonsuch Bay and Lucky Roberto. Mr. Alexander enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the late Cot Campbell of Dogwood Stable, for whom he trained Wallenda, winner of the 1993 G1 Super Derby at Louisiana Downs. Other prominent owners Mr. Alexander trained for included Barry Schwartz, J. Mack Robinson and David Reynolds.

Born Oct. 18, 1937, in Glen Cove, Long Island, N.Y., Mr. Alexander was based in New York for most of his career, wintering in South Florida. He retired to Hollywood Beach, Fla., in 2012, telling Daily Racing Form's David Grening “I don't have any stock. It's getting harder and harder to get clients. You feel like a mom and pop operation between Lowe's and Home Depot.”

Mr. Alexander is survived by his wife, Linda. Additional information, including funeral arrangements, will be added to this article when it becomes available.

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Durkin To Host ‘Champions Talk’ To Benefit New York Race Track Chaplaincy

With its two annual fund-raising events in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York Race Track Chaplaincy will instead host “Champions Talk,” featuring five prominent personalities from the world of sports and horse racing, which will premiere on Wednesday, August 5, 2020, at 7 p.m. EDT.

The five individuals are Hall of Fame jockeys Angel Cordero Jr. and Ramòn Dominguez, Kentucky Derby winning owner Terry Finley of West Point Thoroughbreds, Churchill Downs' all-time leading trainer Dale Romans and Pro Football Hall of Fame and two-time Super Bowl winning coach and Thoroughbred owner Bill Parcells.

The legendary former New York Racing Association announcer Tom Durkin will serve as the moderator for the roundtable discussion, which will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube. The discussion will take place at the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Saratoga Springs but spectators will not be permitted to attend due to COVID-19 protocols in place.

The NY Chaplaincy will be honoring the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (NYTHA) as part of the event for its longtime dedication and support of the backstretch community at Aqueduct, Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course.

“While it's disappointing to cancel our immensely popular brunch at Saratoga National Golf Club and our jockeys versus horsemen basketball game, we know that racing fans all over the world will enjoy hearing some of the colorful anecdotes that these five gentlemen experienced through the years,” said Humberto Chavez, the chaplain of the New York Race Track Chaplaincy. “We are hopeful that organizations and individuals will lend their support to this event because the needs of the backstretch workers are even greater in the midst of this pandemic.”

Those wishing to sponsor the event or make a contribution can visit the NY Chaplaincy website at www.rtcany.org. Additional information is available by contacting Eleanor Poppe of the chaplaincy staff at info@rtcany.org.

The New York Race Track Chaplaincy ministers to the heart and soul of the backstretch community with children's enrichment, social service, recreational, and educational programs, as well as non-denominational religious services.

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Midnight Bisou Leading Charge Of The Asmussen Brigade On Churchill’s Closing Weekend

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen is poised to close the 2020 Churchill Downs Spring Meet on a charge with 15 horses entered in the final three days of racing including 2019 Champion Older Dirt Female Midnight Bisou (3-5 on the morning line) in the $200,000 Fleur de Lis (GII) and promising juvenile Cazadero (8-5) in the $100,000 Bashford Manor (GIII).

“We're very grateful to be able to run horses of this quality during this 'new normal,'” Asmussen said. “Even though the schedule of racing has been altered, we remain grateful to have horses like (Midnight Bisou) to be able to run in stakes races such as the Fleur de Lis.”

Saturday's 11-race program is highlighted by the $500,000 Stephen Foster (GII) but many racing fans will be focused on the Fleur de Lis with a star-studded matchup between Midnight Bisou and last year's Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) winner Serengeti Empress.

“This has been an unprecedented year in more ways than one,” Asmussen said. “The (national) stakes schedule has not been as traditional as it used to be. We gave (Midnight Bisou) ample time to get over the trip and effort she put in at the world's richest horse race (the $20 million Saudi Cup) in February. She was quarantined in Chicago and eventually moved to Keeneland thereafter. Her time off lasted longer than expected, which wasn't ideal at the time but is now.”

Midnight Bisou (20-12-5-3—$7,250,000) has been nothing short of spectacular throughout her 20-race career. The now 5-year-old mare began her career on the 2018 Road to the Kentucky Oaks with victories in the $200,000 Santa Ynez (GII), $100,000 Santa Ysabel (GIII) and $400,000 Santa Anita Oaks (GI) with previous trainer Bill Spawr. Midnight Bisou finished third behind Monomoy Girl in the 2018 Kentucky Oaks (GI).

“She's always been a beautifully kind filly to train,” Asmussen said. “She's become more confident in her training over the last two years.”

Saturday's Fleur de Lis is a Breeders' Cup “Win and You're In Distaff Division” series race. The winner will get an automatic berth to the season-ending championship race on Nov. 7 at Keeneland.

“Her next two races will likely determine which (Breeders' Cup) race we could point toward,” Asmussen said. “We have constantly discussed where we are at with her training and progression but we know how well she performed against some of the world's best racehorses in Saudi.”

The Fleur de Lis field from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Go Google Yourself (Brian Hernandez Jr., Paul McGee, 8-1); Another Broad (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 12-1); Chocolate Kisses (Declan Carroll, Mark Casse, 12-1); Serengeti Empress (Joe Talamo, Tom Amoss, 2-1); Midnight Bisou (Mike Smith, Asmussen, 3-5); Red Dane (Corey Lanerie, Charlie LoPresti, 50-1); and Motion Emotion (Julien Leparoux, Richard Baltas, 15-1).

Another top contender for the Asmussen barn entered Saturday is Stonestreet Stables' debut winner Cazadero in the Bashford Manor. The precocious 2-year-old son of Street Sense won his debut by 8 ¾ lengths at odds of 5-1. Asmussen's go-to rider Ricardo Santana Jr. will be in the irons for the six-furlong Bashford Manor, which will go as Race 8 on Saturday.

The Bashford Manor field, which features all first-out maiden winners, from the rail out (with jockey, trainer and morning line odds): Crown and Coke (Miguel Mena, James Lawrence II, 30-1); Hulen (Corey Lanerie, Steve Asmussen, 5-1); Gatsby(Tyler Gaffalione, Juan Alvarado, 4-1); Hyperfocus (John Velazquez, Todd Pletcher, 4-1); Herd Immunity (Brian Hernandez Jr., Peter Miller, 9-2); Cazadero (Ricardo Santana Jr., Asmussen, 8-5); and County Final (James Graham, John Ennis, 6-1).

Entering the final three days of the meet, Asmussen remained one win behind Dale Romans, 742-to-741, for the all-time leading trainer mark at Churchill Downs. Asmussen surpassed Romans' mark earlier in the meet but, in turn, Romans won five races in less than two weeks to retake his spot on top.

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