Gaffalione to take a week off because of illness

Tyler Gaffalione, the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice rider of 2015, will not ride again at Gulfstream Park until next Thursday because of a lung infection, according to his agent, Walter Blum Jr.

Gaffalione, fourth in the jockey standings with 34 victories during the spring-summer meet, took off all his mounts over the weekend after originally thought to be suffering from asthma and an irregular heartbeat.

“All the heart tests were negative,” said Blum. “Tyler was originally misdiagnosed with asthma. What he did have was a severe lung infection, but he’s on the right track now and is going to be fine. He could have come back to ride this Saturday, but we’re going to take all precautions and wait until next Thursday just to be on the safe side.”