Gaffalione and Zayas Again 1-2 at Gulfstream

HorseRacingFLA Staff Report

Through seven race days at Gulfstream Park’s summer meet, Tyler Gaffalione leads jockeys with 14 wins.

Edgard Zayas is second with 11 victories, followed by Miguel Vasquez with seven wins and Emisael Jaramillo with six.

Gaffalione rode seven of those winners on July 4. That tied the Gulfstream single-day record that Jerry Bailey set on March 11, 1995. Please see our July 4 article.

Note–Photo courtesy of Gulfstream; Gaffalione and Stormin Charlotte entering the winner’s circle after the ninth race at Gulfstream on July 4. It was his seventh win of the day.

Following three dark days, racing will resume at Gulfstream on Thursday with ten races and first post of 1:15 p.m.

Gaffalione, a 22-year-old South Florida native, has mounts in all ten races–with nine different trainers. Two of his rides are for David Fawkes.

Trainer David Fawkes

Zayas, a 24-year-old native of Puerto Rico, has mounts in seven Thursday races–with six trainers. Two are with Ralph Ziadie.

Most of those horses will be low odds. As always, agents are booking top mounts for Gaffalione and Zayas and their presence is leading to some very low odds favorites.

Gaffalione led riders in wins with 93 at last year’s Gulfstream summer meet, and Zayas finished second with 58.

Gaffalione was first with 98 wins and Zayas was second with 72 during the 2017 Gulfstream spring meet that ended June 30.

For Zayas the chances of coming close to Gaffalione, or even catching him, could depend on how many days Gaffalione rides at tracks other than Gulfstream.

Jockey Edgard Zayas

Last Saturday, Gaffalione rode at Belmont Park.

This Saturday, he will be at Delaware Park to ride in five races including three stakes.

The Saratoga Race Course meet will be from July 21 to Sept.4.  Gaffalione likely will be there on many Saturdays and Sundays. He will have mounts from Nick Zito and several other trainers for whom he rides regularly during the Gulfstream championship meet. Zayas rides at out-of-town tracks less frequently than Gaffalione.