Gaffalione completes sweep of 2020 Kentucky riding titles

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – In an unprecedented year, Tyler Gaffalione accomplished the unprecedented in Kentucky racing.

By topping the jockey standings at the 24-day Churchill Downs fall meet that ended Sunday, Gaffalione completed a sweep of the six major meets run in Kentucky this year – all three Churchill meets (spring, September, fall), plus both Keeneland meets (July and fall) and the rich Kentucky Downs meet in September. Not even the legendary Pat Day pulled off such a feat in his heyday, although clearly 2020 had a different schedule because of the ongoing pandemic.

“Everything just seemed to be clicking,” said Gaffalione, a 26-year-old Florida native who will resume riding Saturday on the Claiming Crown card at his home track, Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla.

Gaffalione rode 37 winners at the Churchill fall meet, including a torrid streak during a one-week stretch (Nov. 18-22) in which he went 15 for 30. Eleven of his meet wins came for Mike Maker, who won his seventh Churchill title and his first since the 2016 fall meet. Maker had 21 winners, including the last race of the meet Sunday in which Amalfi Princess, ridden by Gaffalione, made the Three Diamonds Farm of Kirk Wycoff the meet’s leading owner (six wins).

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Full wagering statistics for the meet were not immediately available. With turf racing unavailable after Nov. 12, average field size dipped to 7.9 starters per race. Favorites won at a 38 percent clip (91 for 240).

Fans were permitted to attend throughout the meet when adhering to strict health-related protocols.