Gaffalione doesn't miss a beat in transition to journeyman

MIAMI – Tyler Gaffalione wasted little time proving that he doesn’t need a five-pound allowance to continue winning races. The newly turned journeyman won the first race he rode without his apprentice allowance, Sunday’s opener aboard Storm Swept, and before the day was out, he added three more victories to erase any doubts that he’ll have difficulty adjusting to life without the bug.

Gaffalione is a leading candidate for the Eclipse Award as the nation’s top apprentice rider in 2015, having won 208 races during his apprenticeship. He easily captured titles at both the spring and summer Gulfstream Park meets and quickly opened a commanding lead in the standings during the eight-week Gulfstream Park West session with his four-bagger on Sunday.

“It’s kind of just a big relief,” Gaffalione said on Sunday. “I wasn’t too nervous, but I had a goal to come in today and just ride like it was another day. Everything’s been running great; I’ve been riding for great people that have done a great job with their horses. I can’t thank everyone enough for making it possible.”

Two of Gaffalione’s wins Sunday came for leading trainer Ralph Nicks, who has been his most ardent supporter over the past several months. Along with Storm Swept, Gaffalione guided Discreetly Grand to victory for Nicks in the afternoon’s featured eighth race on the turf. “We were ready for this day,” said Gaffalione. “My agent [Walter Blum Jr.] did a great job lining up these horses. He’s been saying all week, ‘Sunday’s our day, Sunday’s our day,’ and he did a great job. Hopefully, things just keep rolling, and we can keep winning races.”