OLDSMAR, Fla. – If Antonio Gallardo were a Thoroughbred in a sprint race, his chart would show him 12 lengths in front after an opening quarter-mile of 20 seconds flat. The rider, who vaulted into prominence with a breakout meeting at Tampa Bay Downs last season, has picked up right where he left off in the early stages of the 2014-15 stand. Through Sunday, Gallardo had won an amazing 28 races, 12 more than second-place Daniel Centeno, a five-time riding champion at Tampa Bay Downs. And Gallardo shows little sign of slowing down. And just why is Gallardo so successful? Certainly, one big factor is the quality of stock he’s been riding. Former jockey Mike Moran is Gallardo’s agent, and from Day 1, he has had his rider on live horses – mounts who have a chance to win. But another big factor in the rider’s success is his demeanor during the races he rides. Gallardo’s riding style is one of patience and conservation. Whether he is in front or racing last, Gallardo’s approach is to “sit chilly” with his horses, to allow the race to develop, and not make a move until it is absolutely necessary. A key ingredient to making such an approach successful is quiet hands. Some of the greatest jockeys in the history of racing, stars like Ramon Dominguez, Pat Day, Eddie Delahoussaye, and Bill Shoemaker, all possessed those magical hands that imparted calm and confidence to their mounts. Gallardo was asked recently how he learned to develop his skillful hands and patient riding style. “When I was younger, I worked quite a bit with show horses and jumpers in Spain,” he said, “and when you’re working with that type of horse, trying to teach them to be confident about jumping and changing direction during their performances, you want to impart confidence through your hands. Racehorses aren’t much different. They can feel your confidence or nervousness through your hands. I try to get them relaxed and not have to ask them until it’s absolutely necessary.” Gallardo’s blistering start has overshadowed some good beginnings for some other riders at the new meeting. Centeno also is off to a good start with 16 wins, while Ronnie Allen Jr. has 10 wins. Victor Lebron and Harry Vega are the horseplayers’ favorite type of jockey, the kind who makes things happen in a race. Lebron has eight wins, while Vega has seven and is scoring at a 30 percent rate. My Johnny Be Good impresses My Johnny Be Good may have earned himself a try against stakes company with a smashing 14 1/2-length romp against optional-claiming rivals Sunday. With Gallardo basically just along for the ride in the six-furlong sprint, My Johnny Be Good raced Hashtag Giddy Up into defeat after a half-mile of 45.27 seconds, then drew off with authority through a closing quarter of 24.06, with Gallardo showing his mount the whip just a couple of times. It may be a bit of a stretch, but with less than five weeks to the Grade 3, $250,000 Sam F. Davis Stakes at 1 1/16 miles, trainer Eion Harty and the folks at Casner Racing may entertain the notion of trying their young star against tougher rivals in that 3-year-old fixture. ◗ Trainer John Reading, who didn’t even take out a trainer’s license until he was 54, celebrated his 99th birthday with family and friends at Tampa Bay Downs last Friday. A two-time leading trainer locally, Reading still comes out in the morning on occasion and was still going to the track on his pony at age 90. A quiet man who let his horses do the talking for him, Reading won more than 700 races during his training career. ◗ When Derek Ryan sent out Irish Jasper to win Saturday’s Gasparilla Stakes, it kept the stable’s hot streak going. Ryan has won five of his last 13 starts. The Irish-born horseman also sent out Caged to run second in Saturday’s second race, and that $750,000 Indian Charlie colt could have a bright future.