Van Dyke feeling right at home in California

The Del Mar summer meeting ended at midday on Wednesday for jockey Drayden Van Dyke, nearly two days after the last race was run.

“I stayed a couple of extra days to hang out,” Van Dyke said.

It is easy to see why Van Dyke lingered in the vicinity of the San Diego County track. Aside from the beach scenery, the Del Mar meeting was Van Dyke’s first meet in California since the spring.

Van Dyke tied for 12th in the standings, winning with 8 of 102 mounts. He won two stakes – the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap on Zoffarelli, who was promoted from second after a rival was disqualified for interference, and the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes on Ginobili.

While several Southern California riders will not ride the Los Angeles County Fair meeting at Los Alamitos, Van Dyke plans to be active. He was named to ride on Friday’s opening-day program and has five mounts on the nine-race program Saturday.

:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures

The Los Alamitos meeting continues through Sept. 26 before Santa Anita opens its autumn meeting on Oct. 1. The next few weeks give Van Dyke a chance to increase his presence on the circuit.

“I hope to win some races and gain some momentum going into Santa Anita, to show people I’m still here and still winning,” he said on Wednesday, while driving from Del Mar to his Los Angeles area home. “I’m working if it’s a $10,000 claimer or a Grade 1.”

Van Dyke, who turns 27 on Sept. 10, was the leading rider at the 2014 Los Alamitos summer and county fair meetings, the year he was honored as the nation’s outstanding apprentice. Van Dyke led the standings at the 2018 Del Mar summer and autumn meetings, but was in a slump earlier this year when he left Santa Anita for Kentucky in late March.

Van Dyke, who was born in Louisville and has strong ties to the sport there, rode in Kentucky through early July before returning to California. In Kentucky, Van Dyke won the Grade 3 Jeff Ruby Steaks at Turfway Park on Like the King in late March, and was aboard the colt for a 12th in the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on May 1.

For the entire Churchill Downs spring-summer meeting, Van Dyke had 8 wins, fewer than he expected.

“I was expecting to go over there and pick up more business than what I did, especially being from there,” he said. “You have to put into perspective that those guys have been there years and years. Me, coming there for the first time, it’s hard to take people’s business. It’s an area where you have to stay there for a long time to gain clientele. I wasn’t as happy as I thought I’d be over there.

“I was ready to get back here.”

Overall, the brief move had its benefits.

“I was very happy I did it,” Van Dyke said. “It kind of slapped me in the face on how hard you have to stay on top of things. It made me realize I need to hustle. You have to show your face.”

Van Dyke missed three days of racing at Del Mar in early August to serve a suspension for causing interference. He was one of the few riders who did not appeal such a penalty in the summer meeting. He had two wins before the suspension and rode six winners in the final four weeks of the eight-week season.

“Overall, I was really pleased,” he said. “I came in at the last minute. To win a couple of graded stakes, I was super thrilled. I probably missed out on a few winners having those days.”

Zoffarelli was sixth by two lengths after a troubled trip in the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby on Sept. 4. Zoffarelli could return in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita on Oct. 31, the closing day of the season.

“I had an unfortunate trip in the Del Mar Derby,” Van Dyke said. “I think I could have won that without some traffic problems. I wasn’t the only one like that in a field of 13.”

Van Dyke has the mount on Ginobili in the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile at Del Mar on Nov. 6.

:: Join DRF Bets and play the races with a $250 First Deposit Bonus. Click to learn more.

In coming weeks, Van Dyke’s typical day will include riding workouts in the morning at Santa Anita and races at Los Alamitos.

“I’m super excited to get into the swing of things,” he said.

“I hope I can gain a little bit more rank in the jockey standings at Santa Anita compared to Del Mar,” he said. “I’m just trying to stay positive and stay healthy and pick up good horses and the rest will come.

“The main thing is I’m happy. When I’m happy, I ride better. I’m excited to get back home.”