Tyler Gaffalione | Horse Racing Free Tips

‘On Top Of The World’: Gaffalione Returns To Gulfstream A Winner In Wait A While

Welcome home, Tyler Gaffalione.

Following another successful sojourn to Kentucky and New York in the summer and fall, the 27-year-old native of nearby Davie, Fla. celebrated his return to Gulfstream Park by guiding Lia Marina to a half-length victory in Friday's $75,000 Wait a While on Opening Day of the 2021-22 Championship Meet.

The eighth running of the one-mile Wait a While for 2-year-old fillies on turf was the first of 76 stakes, 37 graded, worth $14.26 million during the 87-day Championship Meet that runs through April 3.

Gaffalione was greeted with cheers and applause when he returned to the winner's circle aboard Lia Marina ($7.60), the narrow second choice in a field of nine behind European import Sunstrike, making her U.S. debut.

“It's so nice. I grew up here. It's one of the first tracks I've ever been to,” Gaffalione said. “Coming back here and winning races, it's a feeling like no other. I feel on top of the world.”

The Eclipse Award-winning apprentice of 2015, represented by agent Matt Muzikar, Gaffalione won the fall meet at Keeneland, his fourth career title there, and swept all four meets this year at Churchill Downs including the fall meet that immediately preceded Gulfstream. He was also second at Kentucky Downs, third at Keeneland spring and sixth at Saratoga.

“I've just been so blessed. I've got a great team around me,” Gaffalione said. “My family is great support and all the owners and trainers have given me such huge opportunities. I just feel so blessed to be in the position I'm in.”

Breaking from outside all but one horse, Gaffalione positioned Lia Marina in second, just off the right hip of pacesetter Gun Boat, with Sister Lou Ann poised to their outside through a quarter-mile in 21.95 seconds and a half in 45.53. Lia Marina forged a short lead exiting the far turn after six furlongs in 1:09.48 with Sister Lou Ann matching strides, but Lia Marina never let the filly get by the length of the stretch to win in 1:33.06 over a firm turf course.

Gun Boat was third, three-quarters of a length behind Sister Lou Ann, followed by Lemieux, Last Leaf, Sunstrike, Myfavoritedaughter, High Arabian and Palmach.

“There was a lot of speed on form, but my filly was coming out of sprints so we didn't want to take much away from her,” Gaffalione said. “We just wanted to get her over, save some ground and get some cover. She relaxed good around there and when I called on her she responded nicely.”

Gaffalione ranked second with $3.5 million in purse earnings and third with 95 wins during the 2020-21 Championship Meet behind Irad Ortiz Jr.'s record total of 140. Among Gaffalione's victories were six graded-stakes – the Mr. Prospector (G3), Tropical Turf (G3), W.L. McKnight (G3), Marshua's River (G3), Kitten's Joy (G3) and Honey Fox (G3).

A winner of more than 1,700 career races, Gaffalione ranks fourth in North America in victories this year behind Ortiz Jr., Paco Lopez and Luis Saez, all of whom are Gulfstream winter regulars.

“We always want to be top three. We're always fighting to be leading rider,” Gaffalione said. “It's a very competitive meet, but we just come out here every day and give it our best.”

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Gaffalione, Asmussen Continue Churchill Dominance, Clinch Leading Jockey, Trainer Titles

With 12 races remaining in 2021 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., jockey Tyler Gaffalione has already clinched his sixth-straight Churchill Downs meet riding title. The Florida-native entered Sunday's closing day program with an insurmountable 30-18 win lead at the Fall Meet over Brian Hernandez Jr.

Gaffalione dominated throughout the year at Churchill Downs with 92 victories and more than $6.6 million in purse earnings. The next highest win total, as of Sunday, was Hernandez with 57 wins.

This was Gaffalione's seventh overall riding title at Churchill Downs. He won the 2018 Fall Meet with 21 wins. The 27-year-old's 2021 Fall Meet was highlighted by a six-win day on Nov. 12 and a five-win day on Nov. 25.

Rafael Bejarano's 17 wins was third in the standings followed by Joel Rosario (16 wins), Mitchell Murrill (15), James Graham, (11), Corey Lanerie (11), Florent Geroux (10), Joe Talamo (9), and Martin Garcia (8).

Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen secured his record-extending 25th title with 20 wins entering Sunday. He was 10 in front of Brad Cox and Kenny McPeek. Asmussen had seven entries on closing day.

Overall in 2021, Asmussen lead Cox by 11 wins with 46 victories from 263 starts. His runners earned more than $4.4 million.

The Fall Meet leading owner title will be decided Sunday as M and M Racing had a 4-3 win lead over BBN Racing, Lothenbach Stables, and Ten Strike Racing. Lothenbach Stables and Ten Strike racing had no entries while BBN Racing had one entry in Race 8.

Lynn and Lola Cash's Built Wright Stables, who had three victories at the meet, could surpass M and M Racing with four entries Sunday in Races 2, 3, 5, and 9. The husband and wife duo changed their ownership name to Built Wright Stables halfway through the meet.

Calumet Farm could also surpass M and M Racing with runners in Races 3, 9, and 10 while Rigney Racing could tie M and M Racing with entries in Races 7 and 12.

A winner's circle ceremony to honor the top jockey and trainer will be held after Race 7. The owners' presentation is pending.

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Tyler Gaffalione Voted Jockey Of The Week After Record-Setting Six-Win Day

After winning the leading jockey title at Keeneland for the third time, Gaffalione moved on to Churchill Downs and kept the momentum going. Winning six races from his six mounts on Friday, Gaffalione was voted Jockey of the Week for Nov. 8 through Nov. 14. The honor, 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 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

Gaffalione's six wins from six mounts put him in the Churchill Downs record book. Not since 1907 has a jockey at Churchill Downs won with all six of their mounts. The streak began with trainer Mike Maker in the first and second races when Gaffalione won with Not That Serious (paying $8.80) and Jazzy Lady ($4.40). In race three he rode for trainer Rodolphe Brisset aboard Cousteau ($4.80). With no mount in the fourth, he continued his streak in the fifth race on Megan's Clara ($4.60) for trainer Joe Sharp and Candy Tycoon ($10.80) in the sixth race for Norm Casse. He finished the day with Sarah Harper ($3.00) for trainer Ron Moquett in the seventh race. His mounts in races eight and nine were scratched.

Speaking to the Churchill Downs publicity department after his historic day, Gaffalione said: “I was joking with the guys in the room that I wanted to ride one more and get the record. It was a really good day at the track.”

Gaffalione extended his win streak into Saturday with a victory in the first race aboard Alberta Sun for trainer Mike Maker. He also won the fourth race with Absolute Love for trainer Joe Sharp and finished the weekend on Sunday on a winning note aboard Fast and Flirty in the ninth race for trainer Brendan Walsh. Gaffalione now sits atop the Churchill standings tied with Mitchell Murrill with 13 wins. He has won every leading rider title at Churchill since 2020 spring.

Gaffalione's stats for the week were 32-10-7-2 and total purses of $592,265.

After the Churchill Downs meet ends on Nov. 28, Gaffalione, the 2015 Eclipse Award Outstanding Apprentice, heads back home to Gulfstream Park to ride their four-month Championship Meet that begins Dec. 3. He rode seven winners there on July 4, 2017.

Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were John R. Davila, Jr. with a 50 percent win rate, Marcelino Pedroza, Jr. who tied with Gaffalione for total number of wins, Joel Rosario who led all jockeys in purse earnings and Andrew Wolfsont who won the Artie Schiller Stakes at Aqueduct on longshot Mandate.

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Jockey Tyler Gaffalione Rides Six Winners Friday At Churchill Downs

Six-time Churchill Downs leading rider Tyler Gaffalione added his name to the record books Friday when he notched six wins beneath the historic Twin Spires.

It was the 12th time a jockey has won six races on a single card at Churchill Downs but the first since Corey Lanerie in 2012. This was also the first time since 1907 that a rider has won with all six of their mounts, equaling Jimmie Lee.

Gaffalione won the first three races on the card aboard Not That Serious ($8.80), Jazzy Lady ($4.40) and Cousteau ($4.80). The 27-year-old jockey did not have a mount in Race 4 but won with his next three mounts Megan's Clara ($4.60), Candy Tycoon ($10.80) and Sarah Harper ($3). Gaffalione was originally scheduled to ride in Races 8 and 9 but his mounts were scratched.

“I was joking with the guys in the room that I wanted to ride one more and get the record,” Gaffalione said. “It was a really good day at the track.”

Jockeys Julien Leparoux (2008) and Pat Day (1984) are the only two riders to record seven wins on a single card at Churchill Downs.

Prior to Lanerie's six wins on May 27, 2012, the other times the feat occurred were by Jamie Theriot (2008), Julien Leparoux (2007), Calvin Borel (2007), Day (1999, 1992, 1991, 1984), Randy Romero (1985), Steve Brooks (1948) and Lee (1907).

Gaffalione won seven races at Gulfstream Park on July 4, 2017.

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