Tampa Bay: Gallardo piles up the wins

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Jockey Antonio Gallardo is well on his way to breaking his own record for wins at a Tampa Bay Downs meet, with 92 victories from 343 mounts (27 percent) through Sunday. Gallardo’s mounts have earned $1.25 million at the meet, well ahead of Daniel Centeno, who ranks second in both mount earnings ($815,660) and wins (51). Gallardo’s mounts have finished in the money 55 percent of the time at the meet.

“I’m really happy for sure,” Gallardo said. “I’m having a great meet, with nice horses, and winning a lot of races. I work hard, and my agent works hard. I love winning, and I hate losing, so I always try my best.”

Gallardo, a 28-year-old native of Spain, has won the last two Tampa riding titles, getting 124 victories during the 2013-14 season and a track-record 147 wins in 2014-15. He’s also won the past two riding titles at Presque Isle Downs, winning 161 races there last year.

Gallardo and agent Mike Moran said at the beginning of the Tampa meet that they were considering going to the Southern California circuit instead of Presque Isle Downs this year, but on Monday, Gallardo said he’ll be returning to the Erie, Pa., track.

“We’re going to go to Presque Isle again,” Gallardo said. “I’ve worked so hard for all the business I have, and I don’t want to mess that up.”

Last year, Gallardo ranked second among all jockeys in North America with 320 victories, trailing only Javier Castellano, who won 344 races to earn his third straight Eclipse Award as top jockey. This year, Gallardo is tops in North America with 59 wins through Sunday, three ahead of second-place Castellano.

In the trainers’ standings, Gerald Bennett has won with 37 of his 135 starts (27 percent) to lead second-place Jamie Ness, who has 31 wins from 103 starts (30 percent) through Sunday. Ness has won or shared the training title at the past nine Tampa meets. Bennett, 71, tied him atop the standings at the 2010-11 meet with 61 wins.