Zayas, Gallardo dominate weekend

A couple of notable riding feats last weekend at Tampa Bay Downs coincided with the return of stakes action to the Oldsmar, Fla., track, for the first time since Dec. 18.

Edgard Zayas, in from Gulfstream Park for the first time at the 2019-20 meet, not only swept both 3-year-old stakes Saturday, the Pasco and Gasparilla, but he also won with his other two mounts on the day.

“I’ve won four in a day before,” Zayas said upon returning Sunday to Gulfstream, “but I’ve never gone 4 for 4 before. It was pretty amazing.”

On Sunday, leading jockey Antonio Gallardo rode five winners, marking the fifth time he has won that many at Tampa.

Zayas began his Saturday odyssey with a romp aboard favored Liam’s Lucky Charm ($4.80) in the $125,000 Pasco. After winning a maiden race on Dudley Square ($6.20) and an allowance on Bello Porte ($10), he urged Two Sixty ($13) to a hard-fought score in the $125,000 Gasparilla as the filly held on in a five-way photo.

“They were coming from all over the place,” Zayas said. “She was lugging in a little bit, and I was like ‘Aww man, I’m gonna get beat.’ But she kept digging in and digging in and got there.

“I felt like if I was going to ride a pony that it would win, too.”

For the day, Zayas’s mounts earned $234,000 in purses. The 26-year-old native of Puerto Rico has been riding in the United States since 2012 and was an Eclipse Award finalist for outstanding apprentice in 2013.

Gallardo’s five Sunday wins came from seven mounts. According to available records, Richard DePass went 7 for 7 on a 1980 card at Tampa, while Edwin Gonzalez rode six winners on a 2017 card. Although other jockeys also have won five on a card at Tampa, Gallardo is the only jockey to have done it more than once.

His wins came aboard Das Da One ($6.40), Bitcoin Passion ($6.20), Legacy Azteca ($7.60), Earthquake ($8.20), and Chart ($7.20).

“Any time you ride seven races and win five, that feels really good,” said Gallardo, a 32-year-old native of Cadiz, Spain. “I liked all my horses today. I hope there are more days coming like this, and I thank God for protecting everybody out on the track.”

Gallardo, a four-time leading rider at Tampa, tops the standings into Wednesday action with 40 wins at the meet, which began Nov. 27.