Pizarro plans to ride this winter at Turfway Park

Dominoes are falling in the wake of Antonio Gallardo deciding not to ride this coming winter at Tampa Bay Downs, where he has ruled in recent years.

Albin Jimenez, similarly dominant in recent seasons at Turfway Park in northern Kentucky, is among the jockeys shifting their tack this winter to Tampa, which starts its 2016-17 meet on Nov. 26. Mike Moran, who booked mounts for Gallardo, will now work for Jimenez, while Jimmy McNerney, longtime agent for Jimenez, calls races at Turfway.

In turn, the defection of Jimenez has jockeys and agents scrambling to fill a vacuum at Turfway, which begins four months of racing on Nov. 30. Toward that end, McNerney will have Alonso Quinonez in from Southern California and Steve Peery will have Tyler Pizarro in from Canada.

Pizarro, 30, hopes to ride frequently for Maker, who has the perennial top stable at Turfway despite sending his better horses elsewhere in the winter. Pizarro has been exercising horses in recent weeks since moving to Lexington, Ky.

“I’m eager for a fresh start,” said Pizarro, who was an Eclipse Award finalist for top apprentice rider in 2007 and has nearly 600 career wins, including seven in graded stakes.

Irish jockey Cannon riding well

Declan Cannon has made a favorable impression on horsemen and fans since returning to the United States during Thanksgiving weekend last year. Cannon, a 29-year-old native of Leitrim, Ireland, was tied for eighth in the Churchill jockey standings with five winners when action resumed here Wednesday.

“I’ve had a really good year,” said Cannon. “I’ve basically tried to get established with good trainers and get a good foundation on this circuit.”

Cannon said he will return to Kentucky in the spring after riding at Tampa this winter.