Gaffalione back as king of the hill at Churchill

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Now that a handful of jockeys who took a whole lot of purse money out of here Derby week have gone home to New York, it’s Tyler Gaffalione back to faring best among the local colony.

Gaffalione, the perennial leading rider at the major Kentucky meets the past few years, has surged to the top of the spring-meet standings with 15 wins, including 11 during the first post-Derby week. Gaffalione capped the four-day week with four Sunday wins.

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Gaffalione’s longtime agent, Matt Muzikar, also picked up the book of Ricardo Santana Jr. when the spring meet began April 30.

Up and down for Colebrook

Trainer Ben Colebrook experienced the highs and lows of racing last week at Churchill in a span of a little more than 48 hours. The Lexington, Ky.,-based trainer sent out Jump Into the Fire for her fifth straight victory when the 4-year-old Runhappy filly easily won a Thursday starter allowance, but then Scales of Justice had to be euthanized after breaking down midway through the fifth race Saturday.

Scales of Justice, a 4-year-old Uncle Mo gelding, was owned by Andrew and William K. Warren Jr. He was produced by Balance, a multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire best known as a half-sister to the great Zenyatta.

Will Walden has first winner

Will Walden, the 31-year-old son of WinStar Farm president Elliott Walden, recorded his first win as a trainer when Dazzlingdominika, a 2-year-old Ghostzapper filly, dug in to win the second race last Thursday.

“Truly blessed to have this opportunity and looking forward to what the future holds,” said Walden, who has been refreshingly open about his troubles with substance abuse prior to getting clean nearly two years ago.

Grade 3 Louisville on tap

The lone stakes this week at Churchill is the Grade 3 Louisville, a 1 1/2-mile turf race to be run Saturday prior to the Preakness simulcast. Rusty Arnold has a solid pair in Bama Breeze and Cellist ready for the $200,000 Louisville. At least six other older horses were expected when entries were drawn Wednesday.

◗ Jockey Chase Miller doubled his victory total on the year when he won with his only two mounts last week, both of them for his dad, trainer Darrin Miller. Chase, 27, had ridden sparingly this year, winning with two of 20 mounts, before booting home Lend It Tewmey ($11) on Friday and Hellorhighwater ($8.60) on Saturday.

◗ Through the first 10 cards at the 44-day spring meet, favorites are winning at a 39 percent clip (41 of 104) and field size is averaging 8.4 horses per race.