Gaffalione breaks ankle; Smith to pick up Florida Derby mount

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Tyler Gaffalione will be out indefinitely after he suffered a broken left ankle as a result of an incident prior to the start of Wednesday’s fourth race at Gulfstream Park, his agent Matt Muzikar said.

Gaffalione, the second-leading rider at the Gulfstream winter meet, was booked to ride all 14 races on Saturday’s Gulfstream Park card, including Madaket Road in the Grade 1, $1 million Florida Derby. Mike Smith will instead ride Madaket Road in that race for Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, according to Muzikar.

Riding assignments for the other 13 races were not finalized as of early Wednesday evening. Among Gaffalione’s other stakes engagements Saturday was Five G, the probable favorite in the Grade 2, $250,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks.

Gaffalione was injured Wednesday when his mount, China Blue, flipped prior to the start of Gulfstream’s fourth race and Gaffalione’s ankle was pinned along the rail. He was immediately taken to a local hospital, where X-rays revealed the break.

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Ironically, Gaffalione picked that mount up from Junior Alvarado, who suffered a fractured shoulder blade in a spill at Gulfstream on Sunday. Alvarado is the regular rider of Sovereignty, the Florida Derby favorite following his victory in the Grade 2 Fountain of Youth earlier this month. Manny Franco has picked up the mount on Sovereignty.

With 73 wins, Gaffalione was 28 behind leader Irad Ortiz Jr. in the Gulfstream standings. Gaffalione also ranks second behind Ortiz in purse money won among all North American-based riders through the first three months of the year. Gaffalione has 61 wins and his purse earnings are $4.1 million.

Gaffalione won the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Turf on Spirit of St Louis and is the regular rider of Skippylongstocking, who is expected to start next in the Grade 2, $1.25 million Oaklawn Handicap on April 19.

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