Gaffalione needs four-win closing day to earn fifth straight riding title
LOUSIVILLE, Ky. – Tyler Gaffalione earned his fifth straight meet riding title at Churchill Downs when booting home Liberty Isle in the 117th and last race of the 12-day, dirt-only meet that ended Sunday at Louisville track. Gaffalione, the leading jockey at every meet since 2020 spring, needed four Sunday winners to edge Brian Hernandez Jr. by a 16-15 count.
Ken McPeek was the leading trainer with 10 wins, marking the third time McPeek has won or shared a Churchill title. The partnership of WinStar Farm and Siena Farm led the owners’ standings with three wins.
The ongoing renovation of Churchill’s turf course resumed Monday. Officials said it was expected to take seven to 10 days for workers to lay Bermuda sod and rye seeding over the new subsurface. Live action returns Oct. 31 for a dirt-only fall meet, with the turf unavailable until the 2022 spring meet.
Borel makes rare cameo
Hall of Fame jockey Calvin Borel made a rare recent appearance at Churchill when riding Bebop Shoes to a fourth-place finish in a beaten-claiming race Saturday for his wife, trainer Renay Borel. It was his first Churchill ride since June 10 and sixth overall, including five mounts at Louisiana Downs.
:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures.
Borel, who turns 55 on Nov. 7, is basically semi-retired from riding while now living year-round on a Thoroughbred farm in Arkansas with his wife and two young sons. He said he will be more active when Oaklawn Park resumes live racing Dec. 3. His 5,264 career wins include three runnings of the Kentucky Derby.
◗ With purses at Kentucky tracks at an all-time high, there was a feeding frenzy at the Churchill claim box throughout the meet. Typical was the claiming action on the final weekend of the meet: a 17-way shake for $16,000 was held Friday for The Queens Jules; a 21-way shake for $30,000 was held Saturday for Big Nick; Knowing Glance was claimed for a state-record $150,000 out of a maiden-claiming victory Saturday; and four of six starters were taken Sunday out of a $50,000 maiden-claiming race.
◗ The sixth annual Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards have been renamed the Dr. J. David “Doc” Richardson Community Award in honor of the highly respected owner-breeder who died last month. The annual awards ceremony for individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Thoroughbred industry will take place Oct. 15 at Keeneland. Announcement of the change was made Saturday at Churchill during a winner’s circle tribute to Richardson.