It's been a summer to remember for jockey Gonzalez
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DEL MAR, Calif. – For the record book, Velocity’s upset win in Saturday’s Del Mar Oaks was the second career Grade 1 win for jockey Ricky Gonzalez.
In a sense, though, it was his first public win at that level. There was nothing wrong with Fair Maiden’s surprise win in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita in December 2020, other than it occurred during the pandemic before an empty grandstand.
“It was Covid,” Gonzalez said on Sunday morning in the Del Mar stable area. “There was no crowd or anything.”
Saturday’s win was much different. Before an ontrack crowd of 12,427, Velocity ($72) rallied from off the pace, reaching the front in the final furlong. Gonzalez described the atmosphere as “electrifying.”
To some extent, the same can be said of Gonzalez’s summer. Through Sunday, he had won eight races at the current meeting that began on July 18, ranking seventh in the standings behind leader Juan Hernandez with 29. Last summer, Gonzalez needed the entire meeting to win eight races.
Gonzalez said he could not pinpoint a specific reason for this year’s success, but riding frequently for trainers such as his father-in-law, Phil D’Amato, and Michael McCarthy has provided useful opportunities.
“I’m riding confidently,” he said. “I feel really good right now. I’m getting good opportunities. I’m working really hard.”
Through Sunday, Gonzalez had 21 wins this year compared to 14 victories in 2023 and 34 last year. At the current Del Mar meeting, he has won two races for both D’Amato and McCarthy, and one each for Victor Garcia, Carla Gaines, Andy Mathis, and Blaine Wright.
In the last month, Gonzalez has been in greater demand, particularly during workouts.
“There’s definitely more work now,” he said. “As long as I get opportunities, my riding is there for me. I’ve been putting horses in the right spot. I’m out here working every morning.”
Gonzalez jokes that he needs the wins. His wife, Jessica Pyfer, the champion apprentice rider of 2021, is expecting the couple’s first child in March. They were married in April.
“I’ve got to ride hard,” Gonzalez said, with a laugh. “I’ve got to pay for diapers.”
Pyfer, who currently works as a television commentator for Santa Anita’s in-house program, retired from riding in the fall of 2023. She was among the leading riders in Southern California during her championship year. Momentum, she said, has helped Gonzalez.
“I think confidence is doing a lot for him,” Pyfer said.
A native of Mexico, Gonzalez, 30, began riding at Turf Paradise in early 2013 before moving to Northern California that summer. He frequently ranked among the top 10 riders at Golden Gate Fields through the spring of 2020 when he moved to Southern California.
“I always wanted to come down here,” he said.
Gonzalez has ridden Velocity in all five of her starts, including three wins. Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Velocity won a maiden race in her turf debut at Santa Anita in March, and won her first start at Del Mar in an allowance race at 1 1/16 miles on turf July 20.
Gonzalez said he and McCarthy had a hunch that Velocity could perform well in the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks at 1 1/8 miles after she worked a half-mile in 49.20 seconds on the turf course Aug. 10.
“Both me and Michael thought, ‘Whoa, a mile and an eighth will suit her perfect,’ ” Gonzalez said.
Velocity was sixth on the turn in the Del Mar Oaks and rallied on the inside to reach the front.
“I had a lot of horse,” Gonzalez said. “I knew she was there for me when I saw the opening. She sure was. The first time I got on her, I thought this filly is nice. I thought she was going to be a dirt filly. She transitioned to turf so well.”
The reaction from an appreciative audience was not lost on Gonzalez.
“It was fun,” he said, adding that it was “a big difference” from the win on Fair Maiden.
It turns out Saturday’s victory set off an international celebration of sorts. Some of Gonzalez’s family watched the race from a casino in his home state of Sinaloa in Mexico.
“My brother-in-law hit the trifecta,” Gonzalez said. “He was so happy. Dad said the whole casino was rooting because they knew it was me.”
Velocity’s next start is uncertain, but races such as the Grade 2 Rodeo Drive at Santa Anita on Oct. 4 and the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup at Keeneland a week later will be considered, according to Aron Wellman, the managing partner of the Eclipse syndicate. Well before then, Gonzalez has a chance for another stakes win at Del Mar. Earlier on Saturday’s program, he rode the Irish import Yours Sincerely to a sharp win in a maiden race for D’Amato.
Yours Sincerely “was pretty impressive,” Gonzalez said.
The $100,000 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf on Sept. 6 is a goal for Yours Sincerely. A win would produce an ideal finish to an already memorable summer for Gonzalez.
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