Gaffalione gets 2,000th victory of riding career

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Jockey Tyler Gaffalione booted home the 2,000th winner of his outstanding riding career in the sixth race Friday at Gulfstream Park.

Gaffalione, 28, grew up in nearby Davie; both his grandfather, Robert, and father, Steve, were jockeys. He rode his first winner in September 2014 at Gulfstream and went on to earn the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice in 2015. His greatest victories include the 2019 Preakness with War of Will and two Breeders’ Cup events last fall at Keeneland.

In recent years, Gaffalione has made a regular circuit of Gulfstream in the winter, Saratoga in the summer, and Kentucky in the fall and spring. He has become a perennial leading rider at Churchill Downs, Keeneland, and Kentucky Downs.

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“I just feel so blessed,” Gaffalione said after Megacity ($10), trained by Mike Maker for Michael Dubb, went straight to the front in a $50,000 claiming race going 1 1/16 miles over a firm turf. “I can’t thank enough all the connections, and all the people who put in numerous hours in the morning, for getting me to this point. They make my job a lot easier.”

Gaffalione said he was glad about reaching the milestone before leaving town to ride the big Lecomte card Saturday at Fair Grounds in New Orleans.

“Couldn’t have happened at a better place, this being my home track,” he said. “I love what I do and I love being here.”

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