Kentucky Derby: Gaffalione gets long-awaited chance on Soup and Sandwich
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tyler Gaffalione finally took a leg up on Soup and Sandwich for the colt’s penultimate Kentucky Derby breeze on April 17 at Churchill Downs. It was the moment he’d been waiting for since Jan. 28, when he watched the gray colt win his debut by 7 1/4 lengths under Irad Ortiz Jr. at Gulfstream Park.
“I’ve been following this horse since his first race,” Gaffalione said. “I texted [trainer Mark Casse] after the race that day, and said, ‘If it ever comes up, I’d love a chance to ride this horse.’ ”
Soup and Sandwich won his second start, a Tampa Bay allowance, by 2 3/4 lengths under Antonio Gallardo. He had John Velazquez in the irons when he finished second by 2 3/4 lengths to Known Agenda in the Florida Derby in late March, earning enough points in his stakes debut to make the Kentucky Derby field. Now, Gaffalione takes the reins.
“I’m thrilled,” said Gaffalione, who will be riding in his fourth Kentucky Derby.
Gaffalione’s best finish came through a troubled trip with War of Will, officially moved to seventh in 2019 on the disqualification of Maximum Security. Trained by Casse, War of Will won the Preakness two weeks later.
“We weren’t able to hook up until now, but this is the one you want, so everything’s falling into place,” Gaffalione said of riding Soup and Sandwich in the Derby.
Gaffalione said what impressed him about Soup and Sandwich, a Live Oak Stud homebred by leading sire Into Mischief, was the way the colt carries himself and his talent shining through his immaturity.
“It’s just an aura about” good horses, he said. “They have a different, I guess you would say class about them. They know they’re a nice horse, and they have a lot of confidence in themselves.
“He kind of reminded me of like a Gun Runner early in his 3-year-old year. Had a lot of raw talent, just hadn’t figured it out yet.”