Tyler Gaffalione | Horse Racing Free Tips

Churchill Downs Spring Meet Concludes on a High

All-sources wagering on Churchill Downs’ abbreviated 27-date Spring Meet totaled $240.5 million, which was a 53.3% increase from the 32 days of racing that followed last year’s Kentucky Derby. Additionally, the average daily handle was up 81.7% from $4.9 million one year ago to $8.9 million this season.

Shortened to seven weeks from May 16-June 28, the 2020 meet was staged under strict government-sanctioned protocols and without spectators because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This season, Churchill Downs experienced four of the track’s six largest non-Derby, Oaks or Breeders’ Cup betting days in track history, led by a record $19.3 million May 23 (Stephen Foster Preview Day). Other big days: $16.8 million was wagered May 30 (Winning Colors/Old Forester Mint Julep); $14.3 million May 16 (Opening Day); and $13.8 million June 27 (Stephen Foster Day).

A total of 2,536 horses made starts in the 268 races for a substantial average of 9.5 horses per race–up from 8.4 horses in 2019. Purses paid to horsemen totaled $15.6 million and averaged $576,000 per day compared to last year’s $601,000 daily average. The average purse per race was $58,000 compared to last season’s $63,000.

This season, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen extended his Churchill Downs training title record to 23 with 17 wins, one better than Brad Cox (16), and he overtook south Louisville native Dale Romans as the track’s all-time leading trainer. Asmussen has won 747 career races at Churchill Downs, three more than Romans, who surpassed Bill Mott Nov. 12, 2017 after 31 years in the top spot. Mott, who has 728 career wins at Churchill Downs, became only the seventh trainer in history to record 5,000 career wins when Moon Over Miami won at the Louisville track June 20.

In the jockey’s standings, Tyler Gaffalione easily defeated 19-time local riding champion Corey Lanerie by capturing 31 wins through the meet, seven more than Lanerie who collected 24. In the owner’s race, owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey earned their record 33rd title as the leading owners at Churchill Downs. On May 24, Ramsey’s registered their 500th win beneath the Twin Spires, and finished the season with a total of 504 career Churchill Downs wins. Gayle Benson’s G M B Racing, who campaigns GII Stephen Foster S. winner Tom’s d’Etat (Smart Strike), was the meet’s leading money-earning owner with $368,532.
Racing returns to Churchill Downs in nine weeks for the rescheduled Kentucky Derby Week (Sept. 1-5). The 146th running of the Longines GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve will be held with spectators under strict guidelines Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, respectively.

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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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Tap It to Win Living Up to Casse’s Expectations

Even back when Tap It to Win (Tapit) lost the GI Clairborne Breeders’ Futurity by 43 1/2 lengths and the Street Sense S. by 21 1/4 lengths, Mark Casse was telling owner Charlotte Weber and anyone else who would listen that the horse was special. On Saturday, the trainer could be proven right. After some twists and turns in his 2-year-old year, Tap It to Win has won his only two starts this year and doesn’t look to be in over his head in Saturday’s GI Belmont S., this year’s first leg of the Triple Crown.

“We have a legitimate chance,” said Casse, who is seeking his third straight win in the Triple Crown series.

Tap It to Win broke his maiden last year at Saratoga in his second career start and Casse started thinking GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile. The problem was that he didn’t have a lot of time to work with and Casse feared that might catch up to him. He wasn’t ready for what he faced in the Breeders’ Futurity.

“It was just too much for him to handle,” Casse said. “He misbehaved coming away from the gate. He ran off. He just did everything wrong. And so I just knew it was too bad to be true.”

The Street Sense was another misadventure. Tap It to Win hit himself on the ankle coming out of the gate, which led to an injury called a sequestrum, which required surgery to remove a piece of dead bone.

“He could hardly walk for a couple of weeks,” Casse said.

That was in the fall of last year and Casse had no designs on making the Triple Crown events. Tap It to Win still isn’t nominated for the Triple Crown and had to be supplemented into the Belmont at a cost of $15,000.

The colt’s rehab went as well as could be expected and Casse had him ready for a May 9 allowance race against fellow Florida breds at Gulfstream.

“When we sent him to run at Gulfstream, I called Tyler (Gaffalione) and told him you are going to ride a different horse today,” Casse said. “I told him that I’d be surprised if this horse gets beat.”

Tap it to Win won that day by 1 1/2 lengths and resurfaced at Belmont for a June 4 allowance. With John Velazquez aboard, he ran the best race of his career, leading every step of the way on his way to a five-length win. His 97 Beyer figures makes him very competitive in the Belmont.

“That was an extremely tough allowance race the other day,” Casse said. “I was amazed and Johnny was amazed that he could run as fast as he did and keep going. Johnny said after the race that he galloped out very strong. That John has so much confidence in him gives me even more confidence.”

After the allowance race, Casse’s first thought was that he would go next in the GI Woody Stephens S. at seven furlongs. But the Belmont lost a couple of top contenders due to injury and with his horse thriving, the trainer decided to give the horse a shot in the Grade I, $1-million event. Casse doesn’t know if he will win or not, but he’s certain that Tap It to Win will be the one to catch. He drew the one post and showed exceptional early speed in his last start.

“It didn’t matter what post position he was in, he was going to come out of there running,” Casse said. “He showed the other day he can run fast and keep running, so we are not going to change any tactics with him.”

Win or lose Saturday, the development of Tap It to Win has been something Casse isn’t taking for granted. He went from a horse that the trainer thought could win the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile to one who looked to be in way over his head in stakes company and wasn’t even nominated to the Triple Crown. Now, he is 6-1 on the morning line in a Triple Crown race.

“It’s been very gratifying,” he said. “Mrs. Weber means the world to me and she bred this horse. I’ve always told her he was special. It’s crazy how things work out sometimes. If it wasn’t for what’s going on in the world there’s no way he’d be in the position he is. We never would have made the Kentucky Derby and if the Belmont weren’t at a mile and an eighth instead of a mile and a half we never would have run in it. Everything worked out for him.”

They also worked out for Casse, who is in a unique position. He won last year’s GI Preakness S. with War of Will (War Front), which was his first win in the Triple Crown series. Three weeks later, he struck again, winning the Belmont with Sir Winston (Awesome Again). In this most unusual year for the Triple Crown, he’s back with another contender and a chance to win three in a row.

“I hadn’t even really thought about that until recently,” he said. “A couple of people have brought it up. Yes, it’s special. Any time you can win a classic it is special. I am very proud to have won two of them. To win three would be almost unthinkable. I think we have a legitimate chance to do that.”

Casse will find out Saturday just how good this horse is. If he turns out to be everything his trainer always thought he could be, he just might end up in the winner’s circle.

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